Charlotte Metro Lands On LinkedIn’s ‘Cities On The Rise’ List Identifying Hot Job Markets
By Jenna Martin – Managing Editor, Digital , Charlotte Business Journal
Charlotte appears on a new LinkedIn list identifying 25 emerging U.S. metros with job markets gaining steam.
The Charlotte metro lands at No. 15 on the ranking, which is based on job market momentum and worker migration patterns in midsize and smaller metro areas. LinkedIn said the shift toward more work-life balance is reshaping where people are setting down roots and making smaller cities with strong job markets and communities more attractive.
LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), turned to its own data for the study, analyzing millions of U.S. member profiles and job postings from March 1, 2024 to Feb. 1, 2026. It tracked growth in where workers are getting hired, jobs are posted and new talent is building careers.
LinkedIn points out that Charlotte’s economy has diversified beyond its longtime banking roots, with newcomers over the past year including Scout Motors, which plans to add 1,200 jobs at a corporate headquarters in Plaza Midwood.
Other big jobs announcements have been made this year in Charlotte, led by financial-services companies Capital Group adding 600 jobs and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (NYSE: SMFG) adding 2,000 jobs.
“Rapid population growth, a strong talent pipeline and a lower cost of living help position it as one of the South’s most sought-after metros for talent and investment,” LinkedIn’s report states.
LinkedIn lists Charlotte’s top hiring industries as credit intermediation, technology and internet, and real estate. The top employers are Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC), Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) and Atrium Health, according to the report. Nearly 10% of local jobs posted flagged remote work, with 18.3% being hybrid.
The median household income in Charlotte is listed at $82,070, with an average home listing price of $633,335.
LinkedIn used data from its platform to calculate job market momentum and migration as well as top industries, employers and flexible work availability. Statistics on median household income came from the U.S. Census Bureau‘s American Community Survey’s five-year estimates, while Realtor.com provided the average listing price for homes in each metro.
A market’s hiring, jobs and migration growth rates had to be within or above the top 50th percentile across all U.S. metro areas in order to be ranked. Metros also had to demonstrate net migration over the past year.
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