Situated 20 miles due north of Charlotte on the banks of Lake Norman, Davidson, North Carolina, provides a nature lover’s retreat for those looking to live close enough to the state’s largest city to take advantage of its many amenities while avoiding the day-to-day grind of living in the heart of the city. With waterside homes and many types of residences available -- including single-family houses, townhouses, and condos -- Davidson draws a mixed population. The majority of Davidson NC residents are between the ages of 35 and 64, but the city also boasts an equal number of seniors and retirees 65 and over and young people under the age of 18.
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With a population of only 12,000, according to the United States Census Bureau, it’s no surprise that Davidson provides a completely different feel than Charlotte. The population density of just over 2,400 people per square mile comes in considerably lower than Charlotte’s 3,300 residents per square mile. The median income in Davidson is also higher by a substantial margin, with Davidson households bringing in $95,000 compared to Charlotte’s $53,000.
The median age in Davidson is just a little higher than Charlotte -- 34 to Charlotte’s 33 -- with family households making up a larger majority than in the city. The percentage of family households in Davidson is 66 percent, with an average household size of 2.5 persons. Unmarried partners make up approximately 4 percent of the population of Davidson.
Educational attainment in Davidson runs high compared to both neighboring Charlotte and the state as a whole. Roughly 36 percent of Davidson residents have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 28 percent of Charlotte residents and 18 percent of state residents. Nearly 19 percent of Davidson residents have a master’s degree, compared with 10 percent of Charlotte residents and 7 percent of North Carolina residents, and 8 percent of Davidson residents have doctorate degrees, compared with approximately 1 percent of both Charlotte and North Carolina residents.
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With its position right on Lake Norman, much of Davidson’s culture is focused on those things that set the place apart from other surrounding communities. Water sports, fishing, and paddling are activities shared by many Davidson residents, and access to marinas along the Lake Norman shore makes it easy to enjoy a boating lifestyle.
Just because the lake and outdoors are central to many people’s lives in Davidson doesn’t mean the town has nothing to offer those seeking a different kind of culture. Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center at Davidson College is home to temporary exhibits by students, faculty, and local, regional, national, and international artists. There are public art studios for group creativity right in Davidson, and neighboring towns like Cornelius and Huntersville are also home to small galleries.
While Davidson doesn’t boast a wild nightlife of a large city, it does has several options for a night out, including small bars hosting karaoke and live music, and more than one late-night coffee shop. Neighboring Cornelius offers many more options for a night out without having to drive into Charlotte.
Davidson features free Concerts on the Green throughout spring and summer, bringing jazz and other musical genres from Davidson College and throughout the region to play.
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Boasting some beautiful older buildings -- and a lot more greenery than you’ll find in nearby Charlotte -- Davidson was named the safest city in North Carolina for 2015 by safety and home security comparison site SafeWise. SafeWise cited Davidson’s crime rate, which is 75 percent below the national average, along with its green space and quality school system.
The town is committed to its parks and green spaces and provides trails and athletic facilities for public usage. Along with numerous parks, four miles of walking and biking trails have been created throughout the city, making it safer and easier for residents to get outside and get fresh air.
With Davidson College as its backbone, Davidson is a vibrant community with a surprisingly lively public scene both during the day and at night, but it still maintains its quiet, suburban, lakeside charm.
When it comes to quality of life, you can’t get much better than a city that provides residents a voice in adding to the quality of life in their own hometown, and The Town of Davidson website accepts suggestions from residents to make improvements to their community.
While Davidson may be known to those passing through town as “just another town situated on Lake Norman,” to those in surrounding areas, Davidson is probably best known as home to Davidson College. The small liberal arts college is one of U.S. News’ top-ranked National Liberal Arts Colleges and the third best private college in the South, according to Forbes. The highly selective college was the first liberal arts college in the country to create a program making it possible for all students to graduate debt-free.
For area sports fans, it doesn’t get better than the Davidson Wildcats. The NCAA Division I program brings college basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, track and field, and more to town.
If you like the idea of living within reach of North Carolina’s largest city, but don’t like the thought of living amid its hustle and bustle full-time, Davidson may provide the perfect alternative. The 20-mile proximity puts it close enough to Charlotte for those living in Davidson to seek employment there, as long as they don’t mind a little traffic, as well as providing access to concerts, professional sporting events, and Charlotte’s shopping and restaurant scene. With a substantially lower crime rate, though, and the great outdoors all around, that 20 miles makes a world of difference.
