Charlotte ( /ˈʃɑrlət/) is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2011 the estimated population of the City Charlotte according to the US Census Bureau was 751,087, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2010 population of 1,758,038. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of a wider thirteen-county labor market region or combined statistical area with a 2010 U.S. Census population of 2,402,623. Residents of Charlotte are referred to as "Charlotteans."