Charlotte just posted its best business recruitment year in over a decade. And it wasn’t even close. The city and Mecklenburg County announced 15 major projects in 2025 alone, totaling $424 million in new investment and 3,880 jobs. The pipeline behind those announcements? Another 7,000+ jobs and $1.4 billion in potential investment still working through the system.
I buy commercial property in Charlotte. This is my home market. And when I see the corporate relocation numbers like this, it tells me one thing: demand for industrial, flex, and storage space isn’t slowing down any time soon.
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Understand your property’s connection to growth: Are you near company headquarters? In a logistics corridor? Serving relocated workforce? That positioning matters enormously. -
Document company expansion activity: Which companies are expanding in your area? Which are opening new locations? That validates local commercial demand. -
Track industrial and logistics demand: If you own industrial or flex, document how your location serves the companies moving to Charlotte. That’s your buyer story. -
Position for growth-seeking investors: Charlotte attracts investors betting on continued appreciation. Emphasize growth trajectory, not just current yield.
The headline deals
Here’s who’s putting money into Charlotte right now:
Charlotte Market Position Assessment
Before marketing, verify:
- What major companies or industries dominate your area? (tech, finance, logistics, manufacturing)
- Are you in an established corporate corridor (Uptown, South Park, North Corridor) or emerging area?
- How is your rent trending versus Charlotte-wide averages?
- What is your occupancy and is it improving?
- Are your tenants stable (long leases) or short-term (high turnover)?
| Company | Investment | Jobs | What’s happening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maersk | $100M+ | 520+ | Selected Charlotte as its North American headquarters |
| Scout Motors | $76M | 1,200 | Global operations center in Plaza Midwood |
| Citigroup | $36M | 510 | Expanding Charlotte hub |
| Pacific Life | $12M | 301 | New financial operations center |
| AVL Manufacturing | $56M | 325 | Advanced manufacturing facility |
| Odyssey Logistics | — | 200+ | Relocated global headquarters, $111K avg salary |
| SoFi | — | 225 | New Charlotte technology hub |
| PSA Airlines | — | 100+ | Relocating headquarters from Dayton, OH |
Read that list again. That’s a shipping giant, an EV startup, a global bank, a life insurance company, a manufacturer, a logistics firm, a fintech, and an airline. All choosing Charlotte. That diversity matters. This isn’t a one-sector bet.
Why they’re coming
I hear the same reasons from every company rep and site selector I talk to. Charlotte checks every box.
Talent pool. UNC Charlotte, Queens, and a dozen community colleges are pumping out graduates. The metro has over 1.3 million workers within a 45-minute commute. Labor costs are 15-20% below the northeast corridor.
Tax structure. North Carolina has a flat corporate income tax rate of 2.5%. That’s heading to zero by 2030. Compare that to New York, New Jersey, or California — it’s not even a conversation.
Infrastructure. Charlotte Douglas International is the sixth-busiest airport in the US. I-77, I-85, and I-485 give you access to the entire southeast. Norfolk Southern and CSX both run through here. If you move goods, Charlotte makes sense.
The industrial impact
Every one of those relocations needs space. Maersk alone needs office, warehouse, and logistics facilities. AVL Manufacturing is building out a production facility. Scout Motors needs both office and R&D space.
That’s why the Charlotte industrial market continues to see strong leasing activity. Nearly 7 million square feet of Class A space was absorbed in 2025 — the highest in six years. Buildings over 500,000 SF are actually seeing vacancy drop as large tenants commit.
Storage follows people
Here’s what people miss. Every corporate relocation means employee relocations. Hundreds or thousands of workers and their families moving to Charlotte. People in transition need storage. People downsizing from a 4-bedroom in New Jersey to a 2-bedroom apartment in South End need storage. The self-storage market in Charlotte is a direct beneficiary of this corporate migration wave.
What’s still coming
The pipeline is the really exciting part. Charlotte has 7,000+ additional jobs and $1.4 billion in investment still working through incentive negotiations and site selection. NC statewide recorded $24 billion in business investment and 35,000+ new jobs in 2025 — a record year. And Charlotte captured the biggest share.
If you own commercial property in the Charlotte metro, these numbers should matter to you. More companies mean more employees. More employees mean more demand for every type of commercial space. And more demand means your property is worth more than you might think.
Seller takeaway
Charlotte’s growth is attracting capital from across the country. If you own commercial property in the metro, now is the time to position it for investors and companies seeking expansion space. Roth Capital can help. Call 704-600-3839.
I’d love to talk about what your property is worth in this market. Give me a call. 704-600-3839.
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