Kannapolis is a city located in Cabarrus and Rowan counties in North Carolina. Situated northwest of Concord and northeast of Charlotte, it serves as a suburb within the Charlotte metropolitan area. The city was officially incorporated in 1984 and had a population of 53,114 according to the 2020 census, ranking it as the 19th-most populous city in the state.
The city is notable for its connections to sports and research. It serves as the home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, a Low-A baseball affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, and is recognized as the hometown of the Earnhardt racing family. Additionally, Kannapolis is the headquarters for the Haas F1 racing team.
The center of the city hosts the North Carolina Research Campus. This public-private venture focuses on research involving food, nutrition, and biotechnology.