Welcome to my (former, moved back to Charlotte in 07)hometown. I moved to Charlotte 14 years ago from the NYC area, then to Matthews (for a particular High School) in 1999. Matthews is where the Charlotte suburbs meet the countryside. Close in Matthews is indistinguishable from Charlotte, the outer reaches have horses, cows and cornfields as it blends into neighboring communities of Weddington, Wesley Chapel, Indian Trail and Waxhaw. Originally a farming community with a rail stop, now it's a great "small town" close to the city.
Take a look, and see some of the reasons we have loved it here.