Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

Mecklenburg County
County
Uptown Charlotte skyline
Old Mecklenburg County Courthouse
Governors Island on Lake Norman
First Presbyterian Church
Pineville Historic District
President James K. Polk Historic Site
Charlotte Research Institute campus at UNC Charlotte
Flag of Mecklenburg County
Flag
Official seal of Mecklenburg County
Seal
Nickname: 
Meck County
Map of North Carolina highlighting Mecklenburg County
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°15′N 80°50′W / 35.25°N 80.83°W / 35.25; -80.83
Country United States
State North Carolina
FoundedDecember 11, 1762
Named forCharlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
SeatCharlotte
Largest municipalityCharlotte
Area
 • Total
546.09 sq mi (1,414.4 km2)
 • Land523.61 sq mi (1,356.1 km2)
 • Water22.48 sq mi (58.2 km2)  4.12%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,115,482
 • Estimate 
(2023)
1,163,701
 • Density2,130.37/sq mi (822.54/km2)
DemonymMecklenburger
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts12th, 14th
Websitewww.mecknc.gov

Mecklenburg County (/ˈmɛklənˌbɜːrɡ/) is a county located in the southwestern region of the U.S. state of North Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,115,482,[1] making it the second-most populous county in North Carolina (after Wake County), and the first county in the Carolinas to surpass one million in population.[2] Its county seat is Charlotte, the state's largest municipality.[3]

Mecklenburg County is the central county of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. On September 12, 2013, it was estimated the county surpassed one million residents.[4]

Like its seat, the county is named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen of the United Kingdom (1761–1818), whose name is derived from the region of Mecklenburg in Germany. It was named for Mecklenburg Castle (Mecklenburg meaning "large castle" in Low German) in the village of Dorf Mecklenburg.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2020CensusQuickFacts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Mecklenburg County hits 1 million and counting". Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.