This North Carolina town is surging in luxury listings

Once known for its collegiate charm and quiet lakefront appeal, Davidson, North Carolina is now gaining popularity among those with some extra cash to spare. 

Nestled along the shores of Lake Norman and about a half hour from Charlotte, Davidson has quietly transformed into one of the South’s hottest high-end housing markets.

What started as a pandemic-era migration shift has now created a full-blown real estate boom — complete with bidding wars, million-dollar listings and even sea-urchin butter on the local dinner menu.

“Davidson saw a surge in popularity during the pandemic,” Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com, told Mansion Global. “The influx of demand created fierce competition in the market, which propped up record-high home prices.” 

And the jump has been dramatic: “In terms of price per square foot, home prices are more than 85% higher than pre-pandemic [in] Davidson,” Jones said.

In 2019, just 8.4% of homes in town were listed above $1 million. Fast forward to April 2025, and nearly a third of all listings are asking seven figures. 

“Davidson was once a comparably priced market to Charlotte,” Jones added. “It is now far more expensive and has a much higher share of homes listed over $1 million.”

The town’s draw goes beyond soaring home values. 

“Lake Norman itself is a huge draw — 32,000 acres of freshwater beauty where residents spend weekends boating, paddleboarding or just catching the sunset from the dock,” Marzia Mazzotti, a global adviser at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty who lives in Davidson, told Mansion Global.

That lake life is just part of what buyers are paying for. 

Davidson also boasts one of the region’s top-rated public school districts, private school options, a historic downtown, and the highly ranked Davidson College — the liberal arts alma mater to President Woodrow Wilson and NBA icon Steph Curry. 

Real estate in Davidson now spans everything. 

“Condos and townhomes might start in the high $200,000s, while custom lakefront estates can exceed $4 million,” Mazzotti said. 

One current listing that comes in at $3.99 million is a six-bedroom, 6.5-bath home with spa-inspired bathrooms, a sauna, an outdoor kitchen, a heated saltwater pool and — naturally — a screened porch with a fireplace.

The luxury extends inland too. 

“We also have equestrian estates with acreage and riding trails, country club communities with golf access and social amenities,” Mazzotti added. At River Run Country Club, locals can swing a club, practice aerial silks, or unwind with sound bath healing sessions.

Davidson is earning national food cred as well. The town’s acclaimed restaurant, Kindred — run by Joe and Katy Kindred — has landed Joe four nods as a James Beard Best Chef: Southeast semi-finalist. 

“It’s chef-driven and nationally recognized but still manages to feel like a neighborhood gem,” said Mazzotti.

Despite its now-glamorous price tag, Davidson hasn’t lost its small-town feel.

Locals still flock to First Fridays, the summer concert series, and the Saturday farmers market, which features everything from just-picked peaches to lamb charcuterie. 

“My personal favorite includes Christmas in Davidson, which turns downtown into a holiday village,” Mazzotti said.

Residents also stay active on and off the water, thanks to a roster of outdoor offerings that reads like a luxury sleepaway camp. Think kayaking, pickleball, public tennis courts — even a town archery range.

It’s “not just as a place to live, but to stay and put down roots, Mazzotti said. 

Overall, ultra-wealthy homebuyers are increasingly turning their attention to the Lake Norman area as a whole where luxury waterfront properties are now breaking the $10 million mark for the first time, according to Knight Frank and top brokers in the area, The Post previously reported.

Once known for more modest pricing, the region — especially towns like Mooresville and Cornelius, in addition to Davidson — has seen a surge in high-end demand, driven by its deep-water lake, proximity to Charlotte’s airport and resort-like estates. In just 45 days, three homes topped $10 million, and listings now stretch as high as $25 million.

Notable buyers include celebrities like Olivia Culpo and NASCAR’s Kurt Busch, and agents say interest is coming from across the US, including California and Greenwich, Connecticut. Properties boast elaborate features like golf simulators, private docks, infinity pools and even island compounds.