■ Area 10 Located just Southeast of Charlotte you’ll find Union County. Towns like Weddington and Waxhaw boast more tranquil attractions such as antique shops, house farms and parks. Population 102,000. Historic: The town of Monroe is named for James Monroe, the fifth U. S. President. Cultural: The town of Waxhaw, NC 16 and NC 75, boasts antique shops and is also known as land of The Waxhaws. Accent Wingate University located at Wingate has an estimated 1300 students.

■ Area 11 Cabarrus County. Twenty miles northeast of Charlotte. County Seat Concord. Population Over 114,000. You’ll find Textile production, NASCAR, The Old Courthouse Theatre, Historic Cabarrus Courthouse Museum.

■ Area 12 Iredell County. Located north of Charlotte. Population Over 106,000. Major industries includes: textiles, apparel, electronics, furniture and paper production. Historic Inc. Mooresville, located near Lake Norman, incorporated in 1973 Cultural Accent Statesville is at intersection of I-40 and I-77.

■ Area 13 Lake Norman. Several charming towns border the Lake Norman area. Known for its beautiful visitors and water appeal. This area has added many luxury homes over the past five years.

■ Area 14 Located just 25 miles Northwest of Charlotte, you’ll find the small-town appeal of Lincoln city. While the easternmost point borders Lake Norman, other towns, such as Denver enjoy a family friendly environment & easy access to larger attractions. County Seat Lincolnton Population Over 56,000.

■ Area 15 For those who want to live near the H2O but don’t want heavy congested streets found near Lake Norman, Lake Wylie is the perfect answer. The southernmost areas of the lake reach into South Carolina, which appeals to many homeowners because of lower taxes.

■ Area 16 Gaston County. West of Charlotte you’ll find major attractions like Cultural Gaston County Museum of Art and History, Schiele Museum of Natural History and the National Whitewater Center.

■ Area 17 York County. Cultural The Museum of York County contains one of the largest displays of African animals and arts in the Southeast. Excitment of Knights Stadium, 10,000 seat stadium of the Charlotte Knights, a Triple A baseball team. Winthrop University, enrollment more than 5,500, and York Technical College.

■ Area 21 Rowan County. Northeast of Charlotte. Historic Salisbury offers more than 23 blocks of the downtown district are included in the National Register of Historic Districts. Cultural Waterworks Visual Arts Center, the Piedmont Players Theatre Company plus symphony and choral groups. Spencer Shops showcase the history of transportation in the area, focus on rail transportation.

■ Area 22 Cleveland County. West of Charlotte. County Seat. Population More than 90,000. Major Employers Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems, PPG, Reliance Electric and Eaton Corp. You will also find Historic Kings Mountain State Park.

■ Area 23 Stanly County located East of Charlotte you’ll find the small-town appeal of Albemarle. Population Approximately 55,000. Stanly offers rolling hills, farm land, Uwharrie National Park and wonderful Lake property on Lake Tillery and Badin Lake.

■ Area 24 Lancaster County. South of Charlotte. County Population Estimated 56,000. Major commerce Textiles. Major Employers Springs Industries. Historic Andrew Jackson State Park. Accent Andrew Jackson State Park: 360 acres of camping boating, fishing and hiking.