Highland Creek
Northeast Charlotte's Biggest Amenity Package
Highland Creek is the biggest master-planned community in northeast Charlotte, more than 4,000 homes spread across dozens of named “villages” in the University City area, all built around its own 18-hole golf course. Construction started in the early 1990s and continued for more than two decades, which is why the neighborhood has such a wide mix of home styles, from starter townhomes to five-bedroom executive homes, often on the same street. It's unusual in one more way too: Highland Creek actually straddles two counties, with most of it in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) and a smaller slice reaching into Cabarrus County (Concord).
What Highland Creek is best known for, though, is the sheer amount packed into one HOA. Residents get four swimming pools, two clubhouses, a fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, multiple parks and playgrounds, miles of sidewalks and trails, and a busy activities calendar that includes a community 5K, swim team, and summer camps, all built around the Highland Creek Golf Club and its Player's Grille restaurant and beer garden. It sits close to UNC Charlotte, University City's job centers, and Concord Mills, with quick access to I-485 and I-85.
Details on the Area
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More than 4,000 homes spread across dozens of named villages, all built around a single HOA and a shared 18-hole golf course.
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Highland Creek straddles the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus county line, with most of the community in Charlotte and a smaller slice reaching into Concord.
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An unusually large amenity package for a single HOA: four swimming pools, two clubhouses, a fitness center, and tennis and pickleball courts.
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Construction ran from the early 1990s well into the 2010s, so starter townhomes and five-bedroom executive homes often sit on the same street.
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An annual community 5K, a competitive swim team, and summer camps keep residents active beyond the golf course and pools.
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The independently owned Highland Creek Golf Club anchors the neighborhood with its own restaurant and beer garden, run separately from HOA dues.
HOMES FOR SALE IN HIGHLAND CREEK
Highland Creek has been selling homes since the early 1990s, so its market covers everything from older patio homes to newer executive builds. Here's the latest snapshot.
The Housing Market
Median sale price
$479,900
Past 12 months
Homes sold
246
Past 12 months
Median days on market
18
Past 12 months
Median price per sq ft
$199
Past 12 months
Price range
$260K – $820K
Past 12 months
Active listings
52
As of July 2026
Highland Creek (28269) single-family homes, Canopy MLS via Terra Vista Realty market data. Figures move with the market; verify current values.
Schools In Highland Creek
Because Highland Creek crosses a county line, not every house in the neighborhood is zoned to the same district, let alone the same schools. Here's what's zoned for most of the community, factual and sourced, plus what to check before you buy.
Highland Creek Elementary
Ridge Road Middle
Mallard Creek High
Highland Creek spans both Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties. Most of the community, on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools side, is zoned for Highland Creek Elementary, Ridge Road Middle, and Mallard Creek High, but homes on the Concord-Cabarrus County side instead feed Cox Mill Elementary, Harris Road Middle, and Cox Mill High. Confirm zoned schools for your exact address through the CMS assignment lookup or Cabarrus County Schools.
HOA & Community Amenities
Every home in Highland Creek belongs to the Highland Creek Community Association, Inc., a single master HOA run by nine elected board members plus a village representative from each sub-division, and managed day to day by William Douglas Management. Dues are relatively modest for what they cover, commonly cited around $600 a year, because the cost of maintaining four pools, two clubhouses, a fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, several parks, and miles of trails gets split across roughly 4,000 to 5,000 homes. The Highland Creek Golf Club is independently owned and operated rather than run by the HOA, so playing the course or joining the Player's Grille and beer garden is a separate arrangement from your HOA dues.
Some sections of Highland Creek, particularly the townhome and condo villages like The Glen at Highland Creek or Founders Club, carry an additional association fee on top of the master HCCA dues to cover things like exterior maintenance or building insurance; recent listings have shown master dues around $212 a quarter for single-family homes alongside separate monthly fees in the $300 to $400 range for some townhome complexes. Confirm the current dues and what they include for the specific section you're buying into before making decisions.
Location & Lifestyle
Highland Creek sits in Charlotte's University City area, in the far northeast corner of Mecklenburg County along Prosperity Church Road, with a portion of the community crossing into Cabarrus County near Concord. It's built around Highland Creek Parkway and the golf course that shares its name, with quick access to I-485 and I-85. UNC Charlotte and the University City Research Park are roughly 10 minutes away, and Concord Mills Mall, Charlotte Motor Speedway, and PNC Music Pavilion are all a short drive further north.
Day to day, residents lean on nearby grocery stores like Harris Teeter and Publix, along with Christenbury Corners and the University City Boulevard corridor for additional shopping and dining, plus Mallard Creek Greenway and Mallard Creek Park for trails and sports fields close to home. Commutes into uptown Charlotte typically run 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport is about 30 to 40 minutes away, while Concord-Padgett Regional Airport is only about 10 minutes from the community's northern edge.
Places to explore in Highland Creek
Frequently Asked Questions
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In Charlotte's University City area, in the far northeast corner of Mecklenburg County along Prosperity Church Road and Highland Creek Parkway, with a small portion of the community reaching into Cabarrus County near Concord. It sits close to I-485, I-85, UNC Charlotte, and Concord Mills.
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It's the largest master-planned community in northeast Charlotte, built around its own 18-hole golf course with an unusually large amenity package for one HOA, including four pools, two clubhouses, tennis and pickleball courts, and miles of trails. More than 4,000 homes across dozens of villages give it a wide mix of home styles and price points.
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Most of the community, on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools side, is zoned for Highland Creek Elementary, Ridge Road Middle, and Mallard Creek High, while homes on the Cabarrus County side feed Cox Mill Elementary, Harris Road Middle, and Cox Mill High instead. Verify assignments for your exact address through the CMS assignment lookup or Cabarrus County Schools before you buy.
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Over the past 12 months, 246 single-family homes sold in Highland Creek at a median price of about $479,900, or roughly $199 a square foot, with sale prices ranging from about $260,000 to $820,000. Verify current values, since the market moves.
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Yes, the whole community belongs to the Highland Creek Community Association, with dues commonly cited around $600 a year covering pools, clubhouses, tennis, pickleball, parks, and trails; some townhome and condo sections carry an additional fee on top of that. The golf club and its restaurant are independently operated and not included in HOA dues.
