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COUNTY

Gaston County

North Carolina · 246,558 residents (2025 est.) · 356 sq mi
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The short version

Gaston County is home to 234,881 people in North Carolina. About 26% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The population is up 23% since 2000. The foreign-born share is 6%. The typical home is worth $266,000, having roughly tripled since 2000. Households take in $67,478 at the median, 18% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $67,478, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
26% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 69%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Gaston County

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$138,004 → $266,000 (+93%)US over the same years: +67%

Among the 100 counties in North Carolina

  • 30th in household income$67,478
  • 38th in share with a bachelor's degree26.5%
  • 29th in home value$266,000
  • 50th in diversity score64.7
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
234,881
+23%since 2000
from 190,365 in 2000
246,558 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
660 / sq mi
+23%since 2000
from 535 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.1
+8%since 2000
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
356 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
169K187K205K223K241K19902000201020202024Gaston County
2024235K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(13,586)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(14,276)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(15,379)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.2%(14,645)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.7%(13,472)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.7%(32,133)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(29,974)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.4%(31,512)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.3%(31,137)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.9%(23,274)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(11,710)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(3,783)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$67,478
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,482 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,058
+93%since 2000
from $19,225 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
44.6%
+21.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.5%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 10.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.468
+4%since 2010
from 0.452 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance8.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade8%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services7.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical6.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration5.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services2.1%
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
$266,000
+69%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,153
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $535 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
66.8%
−2.0 ptssince 2000
from 68.8% in 2000
33.2% rent
Vacancy rate
8.0%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.48 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.58 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.3%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
46.9%
+3.7 ptssince 2009
from 43.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.9
+44%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
77
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.4%(154,922)
Black13.6%(25,843)
Hispanic / Latino3%(5,719)
Asian0.9%(1,802)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic66.4%(155,945)
Black17.1%(40,152)
Hispanic / Latino9.9%(23,213)
Asian1.6%(3,868)
Other5%(11,703)
Diversity Score
65
+39%since 2009
from 46 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
−11%since 2020
from 38 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.3%(7,760)
Puerto Rican1.6%(3,686)
South American1.5%(3,630)
Colombian0.9%(2,220)
Guatemalan0.6%(1,473)
Honduran0.5%(1,236)
Salvadoran0.5%(1,230)
Dominican0.3%(741)
Nicaraguan0.3%(637)
Chilean0.2%(440)
Cuban0.2%(418)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.1%(307)
Venezuelan0.1%(259)
Ecuadorian0.1%(174)
Spaniard0.1%(173)
Costa Rican0.1%(129)
Peruvian0.1%(122)
Uruguayan0%(39)
Bolivian0%(31)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(943)
Vietnamese0.4%(853)
Hmong0.2%(411)
Chinese0.2%(396)
Filipino0.1%(349)
Laotian0.1%(306)
Korean0.1%(203)
Uzbek0.1%(122)
Japanese0%(109)
Pakistani0%(80)
Kazakh0%(24)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(29)
Chamorro0%(11)
Tongan0%(3)
Ancestry
American14.5%(34,107)
English11.8%(27,727)
German10.1%(23,732)
Irish7.7%(18,151)
Scotch-Irish2.3%(5,395)
Italian2.3%(5,285)
Scottish2%(4,775)
French1.2%(2,895)
Polish1.1%(2,613)
West Indian0.7%(1,740)
Dutch0.6%(1,427)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
British0.4%(969)
Haitian0.3%(775)
Norwegian0.3%(696)
Welsh0.3%(622)
Greek0.2%(554)
Swedish0.2%(454)
Swiss0.2%(446)
Jamaican0.2%(404)
Russian0.2%(383)
Arab0.2%(353)
Hungarian0.2%(353)
Slovak0.1%(291)
Czech0.1%(281)
Armenian0.1%(215)
Nigerian0.1%(212)
Austrian0.1%(191)
Ukrainian0.1%(184)
Lithuanian0.1%(172)
Danish0.1%(168)
Portuguese0.1%(159)
Lebanese0.1%(136)
Ghanaian0.1%(127)
Romanian0%(112)
Barbadian0%(110)
Kenyan0%(94)
Egyptian0%(87)
Turkish0%(83)
Slovene0%(79)
Croatian0%(67)
Finnish0%(67)
Israeli0%(62)
Canadian0%(61)
Brazilian0%(49)
Syrian0%(43)
Belgian0%(35)
Guyanese0%(26)
Serbian0%(23)
Moroccan0%(22)
Iranian0%(18)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
26.5%
+12.3 ptssince 2000
from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.3%
+16.9 ptssince 2000
from 71.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
8.4%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 3.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.0 min
+69%since 2000
from 16.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.7%
−7.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.4%
+9.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% 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
5.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.8%
−8.0 ptssince 2011
from 12.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2011
from 64.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 72.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.5%
+6.9 ptssince 2009
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
51.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
6.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.7%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2012
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.7%
−6.9 ptssince 2013
from 17.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.0%
+14.3 ptssince 2017
from 74.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.2%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.8%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
90.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2016
from 92.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
7.5%
+1.8 ptssince 2016
from 5.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married34.4%(31,492)
Married51.5%(47,159)
Widowed3.3%(2,990)
Divorced10.8%(9,895)
Women 15+
Never married29.7%(29,751)
Married47.5%(47,576)
Widowed9.5%(9,531)
Divorced13.2%(13,246)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.7%
−6.9 ptssince 2013
from 17.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
52.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 53.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
21.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 20.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
63.3%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 64.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
37.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24%(2,933)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.9%(2,922)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.4%(4,439)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.4%(411)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(18)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 12,211 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Gaston County, decade by decade

Gaston County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990175,093$67,504$138,00410.8%30.7
2000190,365$71,923$157,75514.2%39.8
2010206,086$62,223$173,77918.1%49.8
2020227,943$64,813$190,04822.1%63.3
2024234,881$67,478$266,00026.5%64.7

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Gaston County

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Pop 257,949
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Pop 241,368
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Pop 252,552
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Pop 272,861
Places similar to Gaston County
Head to head

Compare Gaston County to nearby counties

GASTON COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income$80,016+19%
Home value$321,000+21%
Population98,654−60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
GASTON COUNTY VS
Mecklenburg County
Income$87,005+29%
Home value$406,800+53%
Population1,233,383+400%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
GASTON COUNTY VS
Cleveland County
Income$58,534−13%
Home value$200,000−25%
Population103,325−58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
GASTON COUNTY VS
York County
Income$89,095+32%
Home value$361,300+36%
Population306,887+24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Gaston County, North Carolina?

Gaston County, North Carolina has about 234,881 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Gaston County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Gaston County, North Carolina earns about $67,478 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Gaston County, North Carolina expensive?

In Gaston County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $266,000, and the typical rent is about $1,153 a month.

How educated are people in Gaston County, North Carolina?

About 26.5% of adults age 25 and over in Gaston County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Gaston County, North Carolina?

About 13.5% of people in Gaston County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Gaston County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Gaston County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 59,788 residents, a change of about 34 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 →