Occasionally prospective students are concerned by Davidson’s small-town setting. With a total population of 7,100—and that’s including 1,700 college students—Davidson, N.C., certainly fits into the ‘small town’ category. In many ways, however, Davidson’s setting offers the best of both worlds. The town of Davidson is small, quiet, and safe, with weekends that generally hold more church services than parties, but that does not mean that the town is isolated. Davidson is situated in the greater Charlotte metropolitan area, home to some 1.5 million people, and its ideal location on Interstate-77 enables even the least ambitious student to travel from campus to downtown Charlotte in about half an hour.
The town of Davidson is undeniably quaint. With the exception of CVS and Ben & Jerry’s, franchises are barred from the town, thus the town is dominated by small family-run shops and businesses, like the Soda Shop, Summit Coffee, Main Street Books, etc. You won’t find any Taco Bells or Wal-Marts marring the landscape in Davidson, but if you’re looking for something other than an old-style milkshake, don’t worry. Just hop on I-77, and you’re minutes away from the infinite entertainment that a big metropolis can offer. The towns of Cornelius, Huntersville, and Mooresville are all situated within 10 minutes of Davidson, and all boast huge commercial centers just off the highway. Ultimately, Davidson’s location provides all the benefits of big-city entertainment without the noise and clutter of a big-city campus. It may seem isolated while you take a walk down Main, but the area surrounding Davidson has a lot to offer in very close proximity.