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COUNTY

Gates County

North Carolina · 10,234 residents (2025 est.) · 341 sq mi
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The short version

Gates County is a county of 10,376 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. The median age is 47.6, about 9 years above the US median. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 42 minutes on average. The foreign-born share is 1%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

10,376
−1%since 2000
from 10,516 in 2000
10,234 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
30 / sq mi
−10%since 2009
from 34 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
47.6
+25%since 2000
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
341 sq mi
Population, 19902024
9K10K11K12K12K19902000201020202024Gates County
202410K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53%(314)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(644)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(677)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(685)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.4%(461)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.5%(988)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.3%(1,177)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.8%(1,326)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.8%(1,747)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.3%(1,380)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.4%(661)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3%(316)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$66,333
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,647 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
$31,687
+99%since 2000
from $15,963 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.6%
+15.5 ptssince 2009
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
9.4%
−7.6 ptssince 2000
from 17.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
0.383
−9%since 2010
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information12.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade10.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance8.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical7.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services5.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Public administration1.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$170,800
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
$1,143
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $448 in 2000
US average: $1,442
80.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 82.1% in 2000
19.1% rent
13.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.46 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.79 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
22.0%
−7.6 ptssince 2009
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
14.6%
−14.3 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
2.6
+11%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
15
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic58.5%(6,154)
Black39.1%(4,113)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(81)
Asian0.2%(22)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic63.2%(6,562)
Black31%(3,214)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(225)
Asian0%(0)
Other3.6%(375)
63
+1%since 2009
from 62 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
10
+19%since 2020
from 8 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
Mexican1.4%(146)
Puerto Rican0.3%(26)
Spaniard0.2%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English17%(1,762)
American12.4%(1,282)
German6.8%(706)
Irish6.6%(687)
Italian2.1%(214)
Scottish1.5%(156)
French1.2%(121)
West Indian1.1%(119)
Haitian1.1%(119)
Swedish0.8%(88)
Polish0.5%(55)
Austrian0.4%(40)
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.3%(33)
Portuguese0.3%(30)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(21)
Dutch0.2%(20)
Hungarian0.1%(15)
Ukrainian0.1%(12)
Norwegian0.1%(9)
Section 05

Education

10.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.1%
+18.7 ptssince 2000
from 71.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
4.3%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 2.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

41.7 min
+44%since 2000
from 29.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
83.6%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 79.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
10.3%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
0.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
4.5%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
0.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
2.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

5.9%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
55.8%
−6.5 ptssince 2011
from 62.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 72.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
11.3%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 17.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
24.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

47.0%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
53.0%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
1.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
10.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
17.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2012
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
6.2%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
76.8%
+13.2 ptssince 2017
from 63.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.9%
+7.6 ptssince 2020
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
89.8%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
96.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 96.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
2.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 1.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.4%(1,195)
Married55.6%(2,339)
Widowed5.2%(219)
Divorced10.8%(454)
Women 15+
Never married26.9%(1,218)
Married51.9%(2,353)
Widowed11.7%(529)
Divorced9.6%(434)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

6.2%
−5.7 ptssince 2013
from 11.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
54.0%
−5.8 ptssince 2020
from 59.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
24.0%
+9.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
24.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 24.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
21.1%
+5.5 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.3%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 72.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.5%
+8.5 ptssince 2020
from 36.0% 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)13.1%(118)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)45.8%(412)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.4%(292)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(30)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 900 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Gates County, North Carolina?

Gates County, North Carolina has about 10,376 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Gates County, North Carolina earns about $66,333 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Gates County, North Carolina expensive?

In Gates County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $170,800, and the typical rent is about $1,143 a month.

How educated are people in Gates County, North Carolina?

About 10.9% of adults age 25 and over in Gates County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

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

About 9.4% of people in Gates County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Gates County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Gates County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,071 residents, a change of about 12 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 →