Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2021. This is our fifth time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Charlotte.
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Charlotte's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Charlotte.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Charlotte. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Charlotte neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Charlotte hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Charlotte area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Eastover ranks way above the rest.
We examined 150 of Charlotte's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Charlotte's reputation.
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Charlotte for 2021? According to the most recent census data, Pinecrest looks to be the worst neighborhood in Charlotte.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Charlotte that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Charlotte.
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Charlotte For 2021
Population: 227
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $83,200 (24th worst)
Median Income: $22,500 (6th worst)
More on Pinecrest: Data
Population: 1,517
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $82,633 (22nd worst)
Median Income: $22,481 (5th worst)
More on Tryon Hills: Data
Tryon Hills is area surrounding North Tryon St just northeast of Uptown.
Population: 1,183
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $57,233 (7th worst)
Median Income: $30,106 (27th worst)
More on Smallwood: Data
Population: 322
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $83,200 (24th worst)
Median Income: $22,500 (6th worst)
More on Arbor Glen: Data
The Arboretum is the general area of Charlotte, North Carolina which surrounds the eponymous mixed-use shopping center, apartment community, office complex and medical park which opened in 1989. The shopping center is home to Charlotte's first Wal-Mart store, and the area's name comes from the abundance of trees in the area. The center of the neighborhood is at Route 16 and 51, and the community is bordered by the SouthPark neighborhood to the northwest, the Ballantyne area to the southwest and the town of Matthews and Providence High to the east.
Population: 1,136
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 4)
Median Home Value: $84,667 (27th worst)
Median Income: $19,104 (2nd worst)
More on Westover Hills: Data
Population: 1,720
Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 9)
Median Home Value: $88,900 (34th worst)
Median Income: $25,592 (19th worst)
More on Reid Park: Data
Population: 1,349
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 2)
Median Home Value: $77,200 (14th worst)
Median Income: $30,417 (29th worst)
More on Westerly Hills: Data
Westerly Hills is the neighborhood surrounding Alleghany St, Ashley Road and Wilkinson Blvd, west of uptown Charlotte
Population: 3,742
Rank Last Year: 16 (Up 8)
Median Home Value: $42,775 (worst)
Median Income: $30,774 (30th worst)
More on Clanton Park-Roseland: Data
Population: 3,866
Rank Last Year: 17 (Up 8)
Median Home Value: $91,150 (36th worst)
Median Income: $39,709 (53rd worst)
More on Firestone-Garden Park: Data
Population: 5,913
Rank Last Year: 18 (Up 8)
Median Home Value: $64,000 (10th worst)
Median Income: $25,249 (15th worst)
More on Thomasboro-Hoskins: Data
How we determined the worst Charlotte hoods in 2021
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Charlotte:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Charlotte.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Charlotte to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 150 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
The 'hoods around Charlotte that are really hoods
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Charlotte with Pinecrest landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Charlotte aren't all bad. Eastover takes the cake as the best place to live in Charlotte.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Charlotte For 2021?
Rank |
Neighborhood |
Population |
Home Value |
Median Income |
1 |
Pinecrest |
227 |
$83,200 |
$22,500 |
2 |
Tryon Hills |
1,517 |
$82,633 |
$22,481 |
3 |
Smallwood |
1,183 |
$57,233 |
$30,106 |
4 |
Arbor Glen |
322 |
$83,200 |
$22,500 |
5 |
Westover Hills |
1,136 |
$84,667 |
$19,104 |
6 |
Reid Park |
1,720 |
$88,900 |
$25,592 |
7 |
Westerly Hills |
1,349 |
$77,200 |
$30,417 |
8 |
Clanton Park-Roseland |
3,742 |
$42,775 |
$30,774 |
9 |
Firestone-Garden Park |
3,866 |
$91,150 |
$39,709 |
10 |
Thomasboro-Hoskins |
5,913 |
$64,000 |
$25,249 |
11 |
Jackson Homes |
145 |
$82,500 |
$25,036 |
12 |
Jt Williams |
389 |
$88,100 |
$35,625 |
13 |
Capitol Drive |
382 |
$82,500 |
$25,036 |
14 |
Druid Hills North |
710 |
$88,100 |
$35,625 |
15 |
Ashley Park |
2,652 |
$85,500 |
$25,574 |
16 |
Todd Park |
856 |
$45,900 |
$50,253 |
17 |
Mccrorey Heights |
378 |
$88,500 |
$24,483 |
18 |
Montclaire South |
11,912 |
$86,929 |
$36,861 |
19 |
Enderly Park |
3,249 |
$62,075 |
$27,311 |
20 |
Lakewood |
533 |
$83,600 |
$35,469 |
21 |
University City South |
5,206 |
$54,167 |
$30,048 |
22 |
Druid Hills South |
1,395 |
$62,000 |
$19,295 |
23 |
Sugaw Creek-Ritch Ave |
4,391 |
$93,750 |
$37,012 |
24 |
Oaklawn |
524 |
$88,500 |
$24,483 |
25 |
Washington Heights |
2,018 |
$77,300 |
$18,211 |
26 |
Grier Heights |
2,958 |
$105,967 |
$31,189 |
27 |
West Blvd |
892 |
$122,650 |
$30,066 |
28 |
Plaza-Eastway |
7,003 |
$90,860 |
$33,934 |
29 |
Eagle Lake |
4,402 |
$77,260 |
$46,382 |
30 |
Seversville |
603 |
$108,400 |
$24,861 |
31 |
Oak Forest |
6,226 |
$56,900 |
$32,686 |
32 |
Lincoln Heights |
2,376 |
$79,050 |
$25,335 |
33 |
Ponderosa-Wingate |
1,894 |
$91,750 |
$27,138 |
34 |
University City North |
6,868 |
$74,020 |
$41,205 |
35 |
Slater Rd-Hamilton Circle |
3,153 |
$106,900 |
$36,014 |
36 |
Wildwood |
3,044 |
$108,500 |
$48,387 |
37 |
Hidden Valley |
12,628 |
$72,600 |
$28,561 |
38 |
Genesis Park |
457 |
$97,000 |
$23,704 |
39 |
Back Creek Church Road |
6,386 |
$135,025 |
$30,174 |
40 |
Revolution Park |
902 |
$79,300 |
$25,417 |
41 |
East Forest |
14,488 |
$66,388 |
$40,222 |
42 |
Derita-Statesville |
4,668 |
$106,950 |
$41,340 |
43 |
Sterling |
4,189 |
$159,533 |
$47,448 |
44 |
Greenville |
576 |
$101,800 |
$32,813 |
45 |
Toddville Road |
8,615 |
$108,567 |
$41,122 |
46 |
Belmont |
3,181 |
$104,675 |
$47,391 |
47 |
Coliseum Drive |
518 |
$108,000 |
$31,293 |
48 |
Henderson Circle |
3,811 |
$149,900 |
$62,714 |
49 |
Yorkmount |
10,535 |
$57,040 |
$48,811 |
50 |
Double Oaks |
1,428 |
$163,050 |
$25,245 |
51 |
Nevin Community |
4,345 |
$110,750 |
$37,668 |
52 |
Biddleville |
1,862 |
$108,600 |
$19,526 |
53 |
Harris-Houston |
10,245 |
$106,375 |
$39,364 |
54 |
Lockwood |
1,290 |
$134,600 |
$42,634 |
55 |
Wilson Heights |
1,726 |
$106,900 |
$36,014 |
56 |
Westchester |
3,721 |
$92,500 |
$43,153 |
57 |
Plaza-Shamrock |
3,078 |
$148,950 |
$25,902 |
58 |
Mineral Springs-Rumble Road |
8,946 |
$84,167 |
$60,660 |
59 |
University Park |
1,215 |
$77,700 |
$27,222 |
60 |
Villa Heights |
1,750 |
$115,350 |
$34,150 |
61 |
Oakdale South |
5,210 |
$128,500 |
$52,599 |
62 |
Idlewild Farms |
5,775 |
$125,900 |
$35,789 |
63 |
Farm Pond |
6,801 |
$99,525 |
$34,706 |
64 |
Optimist Park |
907 |
$175,850 |
$53,306 |
65 |
Idlewild South |
7,241 |
$111,500 |
$42,432 |
66 |
Eastland-Wilora Lake |
6,460 |
$122,420 |
$32,727 |
67 |
North Charlotte |
2,701 |
$196,267 |
$74,434 |
68 |
Becton Park |
4,472 |
$120,167 |
$48,166 |
69 |
Oakhurst |
2,507 |
$139,000 |
$44,271 |
70 |
Eastway-Sheffield Park |
5,481 |
$144,550 |
$44,868 |
71 |
Starmount Forest |
7,643 |
$52,650 |
$37,075 |
72 |
Shannon Park |
8,725 |
$102,900 |
$33,250 |
73 |
Olde Whitehall |
5,804 |
$151,167 |
$65,209 |
74 |
Echo Hills |
812 |
$149,400 |
$45,800 |
75 |
Newell South |
3,550 |
$131,400 |
$58,750 |
76 |
Hwy 51-Park Road |
1,999 |
$135,700 |
$52,552 |
77 |
Cherry |
896 |
$256,300 |
$52,009 |
78 |
Harbor House |
5,283 |
$164,600 |
$58,895 |
79 |
Beatties Ford-Trinity |
4,150 |
$115,800 |
$49,821 |
80 |
Pawtuckett |
4,762 |
$106,050 |
$50,164 |
81 |
Coulwood West |
10,361 |
$135,400 |
$57,570 |
82 |
North Sharon Amity-Reddman Roa |
8,471 |
$105,350 |
$40,600 |
83 |
Hickory Ridge |
9,240 |
$119,350 |
$43,721 |
84 |
Rockwell Park-Hemphill Heights |
4,925 |
$122,233 |
$44,441 |
85 |
Madison Park |
4,510 |
$189,567 |
$67,478 |
86 |
Windsor Park |
11,608 |
$113,550 |
$34,750 |
87 |
Hickory Grove |
5,320 |
$146,550 |
$49,782 |
88 |
Briarcreek-Woodland |
4,743 |
$135,967 |
$35,465 |
89 |
West Sugar Creek |
8,067 |
$126,460 |
$53,178 |
90 |
Rain Tree |
3,610 |
$252,950 |
$68,050 |
91 |
Yorkshire |
9,123 |
$170,033 |
$69,939 |
92 |
Collingwood |
2,869 |
$199,850 |
$45,759 |
93 |
Griers Fork |
3,301 |
$134,700 |
$60,306 |
94 |
Marlwood |
6,190 |
$99,950 |
$41,909 |
95 |
Third Ward |
2,409 |
$236,850 |
$77,602 |
96 |
Wilmore |
2,269 |
$273,933 |
$72,819 |
97 |
Davis Lake-Eastfield |
8,245 |
$167,560 |
$75,123 |
98 |
Prosperity Church Road |
19,698 |
$160,291 |
$68,600 |
99 |
Plaza Hills |
699 |
$246,300 |
$49,412 |
100 |
First Ward |
2,175 |
$146,467 |
$48,679 |
101 |
Fourth Ward |
3,712 |
$194,400 |
$83,457 |
102 |
Barclay Downs |
5,230 |
$531,900 |
$94,097 |
103 |
Highland Creek |
13,107 |
$199,629 |
$82,639 |
104 |
Wesley Heights |
1,836 |
$248,900 |
$88,417 |
105 |
Stonehaven |
5,699 |
$237,460 |
$79,262 |
106 |
Country Club Heights |
4,262 |
$225,933 |
$68,883 |
107 |
Starmount |
3,411 |
$195,700 |
$70,405 |
108 |
Sardis Woods |
4,227 |
$187,850 |
$68,141 |
109 |
Downtown Sharlotte |
4,727 |
$267,600 |
$68,654 |
110 |
Johnston Rd-Mcalpine |
6,173 |
$141,775 |
$59,753 |
111 |
Whiteoak |
2,612 |
$285,200 |
$83,125 |
112 |
Closeburn-Glenkirk |
4,898 |
$157,767 |
$71,634 |
113 |
Park Crossing |
5,874 |
$231,380 |
$84,683 |
114 |
Marshbrooke |
15,856 |
$126,071 |
$49,960 |
115 |
Sedgefield |
3,001 |
$305,667 |
$52,665 |
116 |
Sherwood Forest |
4,003 |
$342,500 |
$97,713 |
117 |
Plaza Midwood |
3,548 |
$352,425 |
$108,736 |
118 |
Dilworth |
7,618 |
$511,670 |
$95,298 |
119 |
Provincetowne |
11,160 |
$268,771 |
$79,209 |
120 |
Colonial Village |
1,221 |
$228,200 |
$61,818 |
121 |
Providence Park |
2,559 |
$188,550 |
$61,546 |
122 |
Cotswold |
4,747 |
$349,550 |
$77,754 |
123 |
Carmel |
6,330 |
$411,025 |
$80,182 |
124 |
Lansdowne |
4,800 |
$415,433 |
$77,979 |
125 |
Sardis Forest |
4,527 |
$275,267 |
$106,263 |
126 |
Piper Glen Estates |
8,050 |
$354,725 |
$99,747 |
127 |
Ballantyne West |
11,318 |
$296,475 |
$106,620 |
128 |
Elizabeth |
4,896 |
$424,700 |
$81,658 |
129 |
Commonwealth |
684 |
$275,000 |
$84,353 |
130 |
Providence Plantation |
8,067 |
$376,620 |
$125,306 |
131 |
Olde Providence North |
3,382 |
$419,633 |
$112,603 |
132 |
Seven Eagles |
3,796 |
$562,150 |
$105,370 |
133 |
Olde Providence South |
5,131 |
$441,350 |
$94,004 |
134 |
Sharon Woods |
4,427 |
$302,250 |
$88,238 |
135 |
Wendover-Sedgewood |
3,032 |
$696,650 |
$68,450 |
136 |
Providence Crossing |
8,310 |
$399,225 |
$134,049 |
137 |
Touchstone Village-Elm Lane |
2,498 |
$264,100 |
$69,150 |
138 |
Ashbrook-Clawson Village |
3,771 |
$272,433 |
$71,479 |
139 |
Freedom Park |
2,621 |
$474,800 |
$112,784 |
140 |
Hembstead |
2,813 |
$514,900 |
$148,523 |
141 |
Ballantyne East |
8,489 |
$424,150 |
$99,767 |
142 |
Quail Hollow |
3,614 |
$259,150 |
$90,194 |
143 |
Foxcroft |
5,426 |
$724,175 |
$120,148 |
144 |
Governor's Square |
1,561 |
$361,600 |
$78,071 |
145 |
Mountainbrook |
2,538 |
$533,850 |
$106,958 |
146 |
Beverly Woods |
6,482 |
$480,920 |
$88,673 |
147 |
Chantilly |
1,503 |
$322,700 |
$92,311 |
148 |
Myers Park |
11,526 |
$771,500 |
$153,401 |
149 |
Oxford Hunt |
4,753 |
$382,667 |
$104,645 |
150 |
Eastover |
2,710 |
$1,008,550 |
$221,310 |
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This list is total bullshit you can tell its all from a computer. Boulevard homes doesnt even exist anymore and these pictures are fake.
I don’t know when this list was composed, but it’s incorrect. Smallwood is going through gentrification and 80% of the homes are averaging prices of 350k. Crime in Smallwood is also. As for Arbor Glen your list has it associated with the Arboretum which is incorrect. Oakland is another neighborhood that’s going through gentrification.