The Institute for Social Capital, Inc. was founded by the UNC Charlotte Foundation in 2004 and merged with the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute in 2012. Its mission is to provide social resources that advance university research and increase the community’s capacity for data-based planning and evaluation.
The Quality of Life Explorer is an interactive mapping tool to explore the social, housing, economic, environmental, and safety conditions in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. Local residents, businesses, service providers, government agencies, realtors, universities and more can use the Explorer to learn more about the county and its neighborhoods, develop programs and services, and plan for the future.
Developed in partnership with Mecklenburg County, the Housing & Homelessness Dashboard and annual housing reports enable the community to be acquire and use data. The portal serves as a one-stop-resource for housing and homelessness information, featuring data and research, information on local initiatives, and a weekly blog offering analysis on local data.
The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute's data portal includes facts about the Charlotte region from among 11 topic areas. You can compare your county to the metro region and the state, and explore in-depth data from our partner organizations.
If you value the work of the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute as we analyze trends in the Charlotte region and the Carolinas, consider a tax-deductible gift to help sustain our operations. We appreciate your support.
Katie Zager is a Social Research Specialist whose work focuses on using data to make visible many of the invisible disparities that lurk in our region. "I was drawn to geography because of its emphasis on place as a connector between so many different issues; where people live and work can have an impact on economic and health outcomes, people's ability to access basic goods and services, and how people relate to the world around them," she said.
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The Urban Institute is a part of the Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement (formerly known as Metropolitan Studies), which is a unit of Academic Affairs. Our mission is to provide community-based research services to local, regional, and state-level clients. Off-campus partners include local governments, non-profit organizations, and community groups.
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