Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC

Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA)

Add Comparison

2023 Population

122,541

1.32% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

38.2

0.261% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

13.1%

2.01% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$65,230

3.32% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$260,500

12% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

56,522

3.06% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC had a population of 123k people with a median age of 38.2 and a median household income of $65,230. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC grew from 120,945 to 122,541, a 1.32% increase and its median household income grew from $63,136 to $65,230, a 3.32% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (61.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (22.6%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.59%), Other (Hispanic) (3.37%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (2.97%).

9.94% of the households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, 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.

96.9% of the residents in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are Belmont Abbey College (315 degrees awarded in 2022) and Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia (137 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was $260,500, and the homeownership rate was 59.4%.

Most people in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was 2 cars per household.

Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC borders Gaston County (Northwest)--Mount Holly City PUMA, NC, Mecklenburg County (South)--Matthews Town (South) PUMA, NC, and York County (North & East)--Fort Mill Town PUMA, SC.

United States North Carolina South Carolina

Population & Diversity

Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC is home to a population of 123k people, from which 96.9% are citizens. As of 2023, 6.41% of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC residents were born outside of the country (7.85k people).

In 2023, there were 2.74 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (75.8k people) in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 27.7k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 4.4k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary langauge in households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are Spanish (8,285 households), French (Incl. Cajun) (266 households), and Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (238 households).

Population & Diversity

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

63,619

Women

52.5%

57,596

Men

47.5%

The resident population of United States in 2022 was 121,215 inhabitants, with 47.5% men, and 52.5% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in the United States.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Citizenship

96.9%

2023 Citizenship

97.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.9% of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was 97.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
75.8k ± 1.52k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
27.7k ± 1.16k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
4.4k ± 719

9.61%

Hispanic Population

11.8k people

9.61% of the people in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are hispanic (11.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
1,628 ± 984 people
Colombia
737 ± 664 people
El Salvador
416 ± 500 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was Mexico, the natal country of 1,628 Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC residents, followed by Colombia with 737 and El Salvador with 416.

Foreign-Born Population

6.41%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

7.85k people

5.94%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

7.18k people

As of 2023, 6.41% of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC residents (7.85k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was 5.94%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
8,285 households (7.21%)
French (Incl. Cajun)
266 households (0.232%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
238 households (0.207%)

9.94% of the households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is lower than the national average of 22%. 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.

In 2023, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was Spanish. 7.21% of the households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,179 ± 302
Gulf War (2001-)
1,733 ± 341
Gulf War (1990s)
1,628 ± 350

Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.26 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC employs 56.5k people. The largest industries in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are Restaurants & Food Services (3,598 people), Construction (3,548 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (3,305 people), and the highest paying industries are Nondepository credit & related activities ($179,558), Medical equipment & supplies manufacturing ($133,887), and Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($130,881).

Males in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $53,809. The income inequality in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC (measured using the Gini index) is 0.45, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

25,827

Women

49.8%

26,047

Men

50.2%

The workforce of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC in 2020 was 51,874 people, with 49.8% woman, and 50.2% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Occupations

56.5k

2022 Value

3.06%

1 Year growth

± 3.06%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC grew at a rate of 3.06%, from 54.8k employees to 56.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC, are Retail salespersons (1,842 people), Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (1,537 people), and Registered nurses (1,484 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

56.5k

2022 Value

3.06%

1 Year growth

± 3.06%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC grew at a rate of 3.06%, from 54.8k employees to 56.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC, are Restaurants & Food Services (3,598 people), Construction (3,548 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (3,305 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC, though some of these residents may live in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$49,748

Median earning men ± $1,732

$39,533

Median earning women ± $2,249

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($111,250), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,509), and Information ($70,727).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,393), Public Administration ($61,603), and Wholesale Trade ($51,382).

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.

Education

In 2022, universities in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC awarded 452 degrees. The student population of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 807 male students and 966 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are White (255 and 58.5%), followed by Black or African American (74 and 17%), Unknown (71 and 16.3%), and Hispanic or Latino (16 and 3.67%).

The largest universities in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC by number of degrees awarded are Belmont Abbey College (315 and 69.7%) and Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia (137 and 30.3%).

The most popular majors in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC are General Cosmetology (136 and 30.1%), General Business Administration & Management (86 and 19%), and Sport & Fitness Management (32 and 7.08%).

The median tuition cost in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC for private four year colleges is $18,500.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 97.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 14.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 1,773 (45.5% men and 54.5% 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 2022 there were 1,773 students enrolled in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC, 45.5% men and 54.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,100 records, of which 54.8% were women and 45.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
20 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
86 degrees awarded
Sport & Fitness Management
32 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was General Psychology with 20 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Belmont Abbey College
315 degrees awarded
Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia
137 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Belmont Abbey College with 315 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 176 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC, which is 0.638 times less than the 276 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 255 degrees mean that there were 3.45 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 74 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 ($18,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Measure

In 2022, 0.571% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.764% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (25.7k), Some college (22.4k), and Bachelors Degree (17.7k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was $260,500 in 2023, which is 0.859 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $232,500 to $260,500, a 12% increase. The homeownership rate in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC is 59.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC have an average commute time of 25.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC is $65,230. In 2023, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was Wake County (Southwest)--Apex & Holly Springs Towns PUMA, NC with a value of $143,176, followed by Wake County (Northwest)--Raleigh City (Northwest) & Morrisville Town PUMA, NC and Union County (West)--Indian Trail & Stallings Towns PUMA, NC, with respective values of $139,831 and $123,543.

Housing

Property

$260,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$5,642

$29,161

Median Property Taxes

±$1,210

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 (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

59.4%

Homeownership

2023

64.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 59.4% of the housing units in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 60.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the PUMA with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was Wake County (Southwest)--Apex & Holly Springs Towns PUMA, NC with a value of $143,176, followed by Wake County (Northwest)--Raleigh City (Northwest) & Morrisville Town PUMA, NC and Union County (West)--Indian Trail & Stallings Towns PUMA, NC, with respective values of $139,831 and $123,543.

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$65,230

Median Household Income

± $3,070

49.1k

Number of Households

± 1,750

In 2023, the median household income of the 49.1k households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC grew to $65,230 from the previous year's value of $63,136.

The following chart displays the households in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, 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

0.45

2022 Wage GINI in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC

0.443

2021 Wage GINI in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC

In 2022, the income inequality in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.56% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.9%)
Worked At Home (11.1%)
Carpooled (8.5%)

In 2023, 77.9% of workers in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.1%) and those who carpooled to work (8.5%).

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

25.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC have a shorter commute time (25.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.57% of the workforce in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, 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 (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, 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 (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC (15.7k out of 120k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, 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.

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.

Health

90% of the population of Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC has health coverage, with 46.5% on employee plans, 18.6% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 11.8% on non-group plans, and 1.24% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1413 patients per year on average, which represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1399 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1657 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 336 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,413 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 1% increase from the previous year (1,399 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25% under 18 years, 20.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

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

Uninsured People

9.97%

Uninsured

46.5%

Employer Coverage

18.6%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

11.8%

Non-Group

1.24%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC grew by 12.5% from 8.86% to 9.97%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Gaston County (Southeast)--Gastonia & Belmont Cities PUMA, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.