Chapter ED Intelligence · Chapter Report
The ARC serving the Charlotte Metro Area
Southeast and Caribbean Division · North Carolina Region
NC, SC · 6 counties · HQ Charlotte, NC · FEMA Region IV
1,862,617
People
743,346
Households
38.6%
Households below the ALICE survival threshold
6
Counties · 3,377 sq mi
Nearly 39% of households across this chapter live below the ALICE survival threshold — the working families one disaster away from crisis.
In this report · Economic vulnerability · Who lives here · Home fire mission (FLARE) · mission delivery & the bespoke relationship strategy to follow
Sources: American Red Cross geography + 2023 demographics reference table; United Way ALICE + poverty (latest county year).
Geography & Footprint
The chapter's footprint.
6
Counties
3,377
Square miles
1,862,617
People
North Carolina Region
Southeast and Caribbean Division
| County | People | Sq mi | % of chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg | 1,170,993 | 546 | 62.9% |
| York | 301,068 | 696 | 16.2% |
| Iredell | 197,267 | 597 | 10.6% |
| Lancaster | 104,635 | 555 | 5.6% |
| Cherokee | 56,536 | 397 | 3.0% |
| Chester | 32,118 | 586 | 1.7% |
HQ: Charlotte, NC · FEMA Region IV. Counties sorted by population.
Who Lives Here
The people of this chapter.
38
Median age
$76,089
Median household income
13.3%
Age 65+
38.2%
Renter households
Age distribution
Race & ethnicity
Hispanic / Latino (any race): 12.8% of residents.
Source: American Red Cross 2023 demographics reference table. Chapter figures aggregate the 6 counties; median age and income are population-weighted.
Economic Vulnerability
Where the need is greatest.
| County | People | Median HH income | ALICE | Poverty | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee | 56,536 | $47,409 | 32.4% | 19.4% | 51.8% |
| Chester | 32,118 | $45,768 | 31.9% | 19.5% | 51.4% |
| Lancaster | 104,635 | $73,509 | 26.3% | 12.0% | 38.3% |
| Mecklenburg | 1,170,993 | $79,209 | 28.8% | 9.5% | 38.3% |
| York | 301,068 | $75,363 | 28.4% | 10.0% | 38.3% |
| Iredell | 197,267 | $73,201 | 25.6% | 9.8% | 35.4% |
Combined = households in poverty plus ALICE households (above poverty, below the cost of basics), as a share of all county households. Source: United Way ALICE, latest county year.
Risk & Disaster History
What this chapter is up against.
$545.0M
Expected annual loss, all hazards
Mecklenburg
Highest-risk county
54.6%
Avg social vulnerability (SVI)
7
FEMA declarations, 5 yr (top county)
| County | NRI risk | Exp. annual loss | SVI %ile | FEMA 5yr | FEMA all |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg | Relatively High | $318.0M | 61.2% | 5 | 18 |
| York | Relatively Moderate | $99.2M | 34.4% | 7 | 22 |
| Iredell | Relatively Low | $53.3M | 37.7% | 5 | 23 |
| Lancaster | Relatively Low | $40.1M | 45.8% | 7 | 24 |
| Cherokee | Relatively Low | $23.4M | 78.0% | 7 | 24 |
| Chester | Relatively Low | $10.8M | 70.5% | 7 | 23 |
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index 2025 (risk rating, expected annual loss), CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022 (social-vulnerability percentile), FEMA disaster declarations — via the Red Cross national county database.
Disaster History
A chapter shaped by disaster.
52
Federal disaster declarations
21
Hurricanes
Hurricane
Most common type
2026
Most recent
By incident type
Most recent declarations
| FY | Disaster | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane Helene | Hurricane |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm Helene | Tropical Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm Debby | Tropical Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm |
| 2023 | Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane |
| 2023 | Hurricane Ian | Hurricane |
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 — county-level, deduplicated to unique disasters.
Home Fire Mission · FLARE 2024
Every home fire is a Red Cross moment.
536
Home fires (2024)
48.5%
Red Cross care rate
217
Fires with no Red Cross notification
2.9
Fires per 10,000 residents
Red Cross cared for 48% of home fires — but 217 (40%) happened with no Red Cross notification: the prevention, smoke-alarm, and response opportunity, county by county.
Source: FLARE Fire Incidents 2024 (American Red Cross, public layer). “With care” = Red Cross provided assistance; “no notification” = the Red Cross was never alerted to the fire.
Home Fire · Respond & Prevent
Red Cross shows up — and prevents.
4,415
Home-fire calls answered (RC response)
3,730
Single-family fire responses
4,917
Free smoke alarms installed
620
Multi-family fire responses
Red Cross answered 4,415 home-fire calls and installed 4,917 free smoke alarms across the chapter — response and prevention, county by county.
Sources: DRO National 800-RedCross Calls by County (RC fire responses); Smoke Alarm Installs FY15–FY24 (American Red Cross).
Blood & BioMed
The blood mission's local footprint.
72,836
Blood units collected (FY22–26)
3,396
Blood drives held
492
Drives in FY2026
6
Counties with drives
Blood drives are active in 6 of the chapter's 6 counties — every county without one is an employer or civic opening: a host site, a sponsored drive, a standing partnership.
Source: BioMed Collections FY22–FY26 (American Red Cross). Drives = collection events; units = products collected.
Red Cross Facilities
The chapter's physical footprint.
11
Red Cross facilities
7
Owned
4
Leased / licensed
3
BioMed sites
By type / function
BioMed facilities
Rock Hill SC Blood Donation CenterPlatelets & Red Cells
Charlotte NC Blood Donation CenterPlatelets & Red Cells
Huntersville NC Blood Donation CenterPlatelets & Red Cells & Plasma
Sources: Red Cross real-estate portfolio (reintel.jbf.com) + BioMed facilities (biomed.jbf.com).
Locations, types and functions only — no cost, square footage, or lease terms are disclosed.
Red Cross Philanthropy · Major Donors
Who gives here.
Major-donor giving across the chapter — three fiscal years. Internal planning data.
$30,606,968
Total giving, 3-year
151
Major donors
$4,128,440
Current FY · ▼ 78% vs prior FY
$21,791,165
Top: Mecklenburg
| County | Major donors | Total giving, 3-year |
|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg | 131 | $21,791,165 |
| Iredell | 6 | $8,155,461 |
| York | 9 | $601,342 |
| Lancaster | 3 | $43,000 |
| Chester | 2 | $16,000 |
Source: Red Cross major-donor giving by county, three fiscal years.
Internal / executive-director planning use — not donor-facing.
County Deep Dive
Mecklenburg County
1,170,993
People
$79,209
Median HH income
38.3%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively High
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age36.1
ALICE households136,658
Poverty households45,185
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$318.0M
Social vulnerability (SVI)61.2%
FEMA declarations (all time)18
Home fires, CY2024283
Fires, no RC notification128
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$21,791,165
Mecklenburg County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
York County
301,068
People
$75,363
Median HH income
38.3%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age39.1
ALICE households32,126
Poverty households11,261
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$99.2M
Social vulnerability (SVI)34.4%
FEMA declarations (all time)22
Home fires, CY202473
Fires, no RC notification35
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$601,342
York County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Iredell County
197,267
People
$73,201
Median HH income
35.4%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age41.1
ALICE households19,888
Poverty households7,575
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$53.3M
Social vulnerability (SVI)37.7%
FEMA declarations (all time)23
Home fires, CY202442
Fires, no RC notification17
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$8,155,461
Iredell County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Lancaster County
104,635
People
$73,509
Median HH income
38.3%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age42.8
ALICE households10,310
Poverty households4,717
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$40.1M
Social vulnerability (SVI)45.8%
FEMA declarations (all time)24
Home fires, CY202454
Fires, no RC notification14
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$43,000
Lancaster County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Cherokee County
56,536
People
$47,409
Median HH income
51.8%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age40.6
ALICE households7,082
Poverty households4,237
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$23.4M
Social vulnerability (SVI)78.0%
FEMA declarations (all time)24
Home fires, CY202449
Fires, no RC notification13
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr—
Cherokee County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
County Deep Dive
Chester County
32,118
People
$45,768
Median HH income
51.4%
Combined ALICE + poverty
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk
People & economy
Median age42.7
ALICE households4,119
Poverty households2,521
Risk & response
Expected annual loss$10.8M
Social vulnerability (SVI)70.5%
FEMA declarations (all time)23
Home fires, CY202435
Fires, no RC notification10
Bridge assistance · DRO 220-25—
Major-donor giving · 3-yr$16,000
Chester County · sources: Red Cross demographics 2023, United Way ALICE, FEMA NRI & declarations, FLARE CY2024.
Your Live Tools
The chapter's Experience Builder apps & federal tools.
Red Cross Intelligence Briefing
Chapter risk, hardship, hazards & county drilldowns
experience.arcgis.com
Disaster Response Intelligence
Spatial disaster-response intelligence
Experience Builder app
Red Cross Real Estate
Facilities & market intelligence
experience.arcgis.com
Service Area Planning
Service-area geography & planning
Experience Builder app
Community Mobilization V
Local resource & mobilization map
experience.arcgis.com
Biomed
Blood & BioMed footprint
experience.arcgis.com
FEMA RAPT
Resilience analysis & planning
www.fema.gov
Census Community Resilience
People & resilience context
www.census.gov
Red Cross Experience Builder apps give the live, drill-down companion to this report; federal tools add official context.
Sources & Methodology
Every number, traceable.
Tools produce facts; humans own decisions. Each figure in this report traces to a named source and vintage.
| Metric | Source | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| geography + 2023 demographics | ALICE master / Red Cross reference table | 2023 |
| ALICE + poverty households | MASTER counties ALICE+demographics | 2023 |
| flare | flare_fire_incidents (public AGOL, CY24) | CY2024 |
| smoke_alarms | GIS_MAP_FY15_to_FY24 (AGOL item b09f21d9…) | FY15–24 |
| lives_saved | Lives_Saved_Map_30_Apr_2026 (AGOL item ff313330…) | 2026 |
| blood | Biomed Collections 22-26 by chapter/county | FY22–26 |
| risk + disaster history | FEMA NRI 2025 · CDC SVI 2022 · FEMA declarations (red-cross-data county master) | FEMA NRI 2025 · SVI 2022 |
| fema disaster history | FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 | 2026 |
| facilities / real estate (no costs) | Red Cross facilities portfolio — reintel.jbf.com (locations, types & ownership only; no cost/lease terms) | FY25 |
| home-fire RC responses (SFF/MFF) | DRO National 800-RedCross Calls by County (org AGOL) | FY24–26 |
Geography: American Red Cross chapter↔county reference. The full machine-readable source ledger ships with the data bundle.
Appendix · County Data
Full county table.
| County | Pop | Households | Hardship | NRI risk | Exp. annual loss | Fires '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg | 1,170,993 | 473,240 | 38.3% | Relatively High | $318.0M | 283 |
| York | 301,068 | 115,584 | 38.3% | Relatively Moderate | $99.2M | 73 |
| Iredell | 197,267 | 77,420 | 35.4% | Relatively Low | $53.3M | 42 |
| Lancaster | 104,635 | 41,624 | 38.3% | Relatively Low | $40.1M | 54 |
| Cherokee | 56,536 | 22,535 | 51.8% | Relatively Low | $23.4M | 49 |
| Chester | 32,118 | 12,943 | 51.4% | Relatively Low | $10.8M | 35 |
One row per county. Combined hardship = poverty + ALICE households. Fires = FLARE CY2024.