Gaston County, NC

County

Add Comparison

2024 Population

234,881

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

39.1

1.01% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

13.5%

5.94% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$67,478

3.06% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$266,000

13.2% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

112,089

1.63% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Gaston County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.4% of the residents in Gaston County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Gaston County, NC are Gaston College (2,418 degrees awarded in 2023), Belmont Abbey College (299 degrees), and Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia (30 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Gaston County, NC was $266,000, and the homeownership rate was 66.8%.

Most people in Gaston County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27 minutes. The average car ownership in Gaston County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Gaston County, NC borders Cleveland County, NC, Lincoln County, NC, Mecklenburg County, NC, and York County, SC.

United States North Carolina Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Population & Diversity

Gaston County, NC is home to a population of 235k people, from which 96.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.36% of Gaston County, NC residents were born outside of the country (14.9k people).

In 2024, there were 3.88 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (156k people) in Gaston County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 40.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.56k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.4%

2024 Citizenship

96.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.4% of Gaston County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Gaston County, NC was 96.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Gaston County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Gaston County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
156k ± 577
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
40.2k ± 896
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
8.56k ± 924

9.88%

Hispanic Population

23.2k people

9.88% of the people in Gaston County, NC are hispanic (23.2k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Gaston County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,963 ± 11,520 people
India
83,219 ± 7,055 people
Honduras
48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

Foreign-Born Population

6.36%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

14.9k people

5.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

13.2k people

As of 2024, 6.36% of Gaston County, NC residents (14.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Gaston County, NC was 5.7%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Gaston County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,083 ± 347
Gulf War (2001-)
2,933 ± 383
Gulf War (1990s)
2,234 ± 343

Gaston County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.39 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Gaston County, NC.

Economy

The economy of Gaston County, NC employs 112k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Gaston County, NC were Manufacturing (15,126 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,290 people), and Retail Trade (12,997 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($83,767), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($81,375), and Finance & Insurance ($75,531).

Employment

Occupations

112k

2024 Value

± 2,648

1.63%

1 Year growth

± 3.29%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Gaston County, NC grew at a rate of 1.63%, from 110k employees to 112k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Gaston County, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,793 people), Management Occupations (11,820 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (10,329 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Gaston County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

112k

2024 Value

± 2,648

1.63%

1 Year growth

± 3.29%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Gaston County, NC grew at a rate of 1.63%, from 110k employees to 112k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Gaston County, NC, are Manufacturing (15,126 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,290 people), and Retail Trade (12,997 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Gaston County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Gaston County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$52,201

Median earning men ± $1,250

$40,158

Median earning women ± $995

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($84,508), Information ($66,830), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($62,259).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($64,191), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($59,450), and Wholesale Trade ($49,536).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

390
Other Services (except Public Administration)
324
Construction
231
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$914k
Manufacturing
$728k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$311k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Gaston County, NC awarded 2,747 degrees. The student population of Gaston County, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 2,990 male students and 4,785 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Gaston County, NC are White (1,581 and 58.6%), Unknown (454 and 16.8%), Black or African American (330 and 12.2%), and Hispanic or Latino (230 and 8.53%).

The largest universities in Gaston County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Gaston College (2,418 and 88%), Belmont Abbey College (299 and 10.9%), and Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia (30 and 1.09%).

The most popular majors in Gaston County, NC are Biotechnology (531 and 19.3%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (399 and 14.5%), and Registered Nursing (251 and 9.14%).

The median tuition cost in Gaston County, NC for private four year colleges is $19,500.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Gaston County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 90.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 14.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 7,775 (38.5% men and 61.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 7,775 students enrolled in Gaston County, NC, 38.5% men and 61.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 3,424 records, of which 59.8% were women and 40.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Biotechnology
529 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
200 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
114 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years recipients in Gaston County, NC was Biotechnology with 529 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years from schools in Gaston County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Gaston College
2,418 degrees awarded
Belmont Abbey College
299 degrees awarded
Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia
30 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Gaston College with 2,418 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 863 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Gaston County, NC, which is 0.458 times less than the 1,884 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,581 degrees mean that there were 3.48 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 454 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($19,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($754) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,460) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Gaston County, NC was $266,000 in 2024, which is 0.8 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $235,000 to $266,000, a 13.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Gaston County, NC is 66.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Gaston County, NC have an average commute time of 27 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Gaston County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Gaston County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.892%.

Housing

Property

$266,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$5,555

$62,554

Median Property Taxes

±$1,802

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Gaston County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Gaston County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

66.8%

Homeownership

2024

64.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 66.8% of the housing units in Gaston County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Gaston County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$67,478

Median Household Income

± $1,710

93.6k

Number of Households

± 2,497

In 2024, the median household income of the 93.6k households in Gaston County, NC grew to $67,478 from the previous year's value of $65,472.

The following chart displays the households in Gaston County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Gaston County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.467

2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (76.7%)
Worked At Home (12.4%)
Carpooled (8.7%)

In 2024, 76.7% of workers in Gaston County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.4%) and those who carpooled to work (8.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

27 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Gaston County, NC have a longer commute time (27 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.89% of the workforce in Gaston County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Gaston County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Gaston County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Gaston County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Gaston County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.892%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Gaston County, NC (31.3k out of 231k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Gaston County, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 18.5% of the children was living in poverty in Gaston County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 390 in Gaston County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 53.4 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

89.3% of the population of Gaston County, NC has health coverage, with 45.9% on employee plans, 17.7% on Medicaid, 12.6% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.25% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Gaston County, NC see 1,908 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,908 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1816 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 331 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,908 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Gaston County, NC

Primary care physicians in Gaston County, NC see an average of 1,908 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,908 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Gaston County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.7% under 18 years, 20.6% between 18 and 34 years, 39.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.7%

Uninsured

45.9%

Employer Coverage

17.7%

Medicaid

12.6%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.25%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Gaston County, NC declined by 1.05% from 10.9% to 10.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Gaston County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 70.3 in Gaston County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Gaston County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 36.5% in Gaston County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Gaston County, NC.