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CITY

Gastonia

North Carolina · 87,067 residents (2025 est.) · 53.067 sq mi
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The short version

Gastonia has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $64,059. Population has grown 25% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $277,600.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
82,884
+25%since 2000
from 66,277 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,562 / sq mi
+17%since 2009
from 1,331 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.5
+3%since 2000
from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:87,067 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
52K60K69K77K86K1990201020202024Gastonia
202483K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.9%(5,760)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97%(5,815)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.4%(6,129)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.4%(4,488)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.5%(5,355)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.7%(12,198)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.2%(10,960)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(10,270)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.5%(9,552)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748.8%(7,324)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.3%(3,603)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(1,430)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$64,059
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,924 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,174
+80%since 2000
from $19,592 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.0%
+20.2 ptssince 2009
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.472
−1%since 2010
from 0.475 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade12.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance8.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade7.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services7%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical6.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration5.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$277,600
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $92,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,204
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $559 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
54.2%
−2.5 ptssince 2000
from 56.7% in 2000
45.8% rent
Vacancy rate
8.4%
−5.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
23.0%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
50.4%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 44.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
+35%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
61
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Gastonia on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic67.3%(44,615)
Black24.9%(16,520)
Hispanic / Latino5.5%(3,613)
Asian1.2%(765)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic51%(42,263)
Black29%(24,023)
Hispanic / Latino12.8%(10,598)
Asian1.3%(1,056)
Other6%(4,944)
Diversity Score
79
+15%since 2009
from 69 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.8%(3,121)
Central American3.2%(2,664)
South American2.3%(1,903)
Colombian1.8%(1,475)
Puerto Rican1.7%(1,382)
Honduran1.1%(945)
Salvadoran1%(814)
Guatemalan0.6%(527)
Nicaraguan0.4%(355)
Dominican0.4%(298)
Chilean0.2%(156)
Argentine0.1%(105)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(103)
Venezuelan0.1%(47)
Cuban0%(19)
Uruguayan0%(10)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(274)
Chinese0.2%(164)
Uzbek0.1%(122)
Laotian0.1%(113)
Korean0.1%(81)
Asian Indian0.1%(75)
Filipino0.1%(66)
Pakistani0.1%(63)
Japanese0.1%(46)
Kazakh0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0%(3)
Ancestry
American12.8%(10,611)
English9.7%(8,035)
German9.3%(7,735)
Irish6.5%(5,384)
Scottish2.2%(1,813)
Scotch-Irish2.2%(1,812)
Italian1.7%(1,440)
West Indian1.7%(1,403)
French1%(827)
Polish0.9%(719)
Dutch0.8%(649)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Haitian0.7%(620)
British0.5%(414)
Jamaican0.4%(356)
Norwegian0.3%(268)
Swiss0.3%(230)
Swedish0.2%(145)
Arab0.2%(142)
Welsh0.2%(140)
Greek0.1%(116)
Barbadian0.1%(110)
Russian0.1%(107)
Hungarian0.1%(72)
Romanian0.1%(68)
Armenian0.1%(65)
Egyptian0.1%(58)
Czech0.1%(55)
Slovak0.1%(51)
Danish0.1%(45)
Brazilian0.1%(43)
Nigerian0.1%(43)
Finnish0%(41)
Austrian0%(38)
Lebanese0%(30)
Guyanese0%(26)
Belgian0%(20)
Israeli0%(19)
Syrian0%(18)
Canadian0%(17)
Ghanaian0%(16)
Ukrainian0%(14)
Moroccan0%(11)
Slovene0%(11)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.6%
+6.4 ptssince 2000
from 20.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.7%
+16.5 ptssince 2000
from 72.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.8%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
26.8 min
+81%since 2000
from 14.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.1%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 80.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.8%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.0%
+9.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.7%
−8.0 ptssince 2011
from 13.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2011
from 62.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
10.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.9%
−26.0 ptssince 2009
from 61.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.8% in 2009
Female
51.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.2% in 2009
Foreign born
8.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.4%
−39.4 ptssince 2009
from 45.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2012
from 15.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.9%
−68.5 ptssince 2013
from 81.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.8%
+13.6 ptssince 2017
from 76.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
87.2%
−2.1 ptssince 2016
from 89.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
10.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2016
from 8.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married38.7%(11,695)
Married45.6%(13,770)
Widowed2.8%(849)
Divorced12.9%(3,909)
Women 15+
Never married35.7%(12,468)
Married41.7%(14,563)
Widowed8.9%(3,126)
Divorced13.7%(4,800)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Gastonia, North Carolina?

Gastonia, North Carolina has about 82,884 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Gastonia, North Carolina?

The typical household in Gastonia, North Carolina earns about $64,059 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Gastonia, North Carolina expensive?

In Gastonia, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $277,600, and the typical rent is about $1,204 a month.

How educated are people in Gastonia, North Carolina?

About 26.6% of adults age 25 and over in Gastonia, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Gastonia, North Carolina?

About 16.3% of people in Gastonia, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Gastonia, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Gastonia, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 28,152 residents, a change of about 51 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →