Editing Matthews, North Carolina (section)

== Geography ==
Matthews is located in southeastern Mecklenburg County at {{coord|35|7|1|N|80|42|59|W|region:US-NC_type:city}} (35.116851, &minus;80.716409).<ref name="gnis" /> It is bordered to the northwest and southwest by the city of Charlotte and to the northeast by the town of [[Mint Hill, North Carolina|Mint Hill]]. It is bordered to the southeast by the town of [[Stallings, North Carolina|Stallings]] in [[Union County, North Carolina|Union County]]. [[Uptown Charlotte]] is {{convert|11|mi|0}} to the northwest of the center of Matthews.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|17.2|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.08|sqmi|2}}, or 0.47%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2024"/> The center of Matthews sits on a ridge which drains north toward McAlpine Creek and south toward its tributary Fourmile Creek. McAlpine Creek is a southwest-flowing tributary of [[Sugar Creek (North Carolina)|Sugar River]], which in turn flows south to meet the [[Catawba River]] in [[South Carolina]].

[[U.S. Route 74]] is the main highway through Matthews, leading northwest into Charlotte and southeast {{convert|14|mi}} to [[Monroe, North Carolina|Monroe]]. [[North Carolina Highway 51]] runs through the northern part of Matthews, leading northeast into Mint Hill and west {{convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Pineville, North Carolina|Pineville]]. [[Interstate 485]], the Charlotte Outerbelt, runs through the southern part of Matthews, with access from four interchanges.