Forsyth County vs Gaston County
A side-by-side comparison of Forsyth County and Gaston County: population, income, housing, and more.
Forsyth County and Gaston County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Forsyth County has the higher population (386,740 vs 231,485 in Gaston County). Forsyth County has the higher median household income ($65,541 vs $65,472 in Gaston County). Gaston County has the higher median home value ($235,000 vs $227,800 in Forsyth County).
Population, income & housing
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 386,740 | 231,485 |
| Median age | 38.3 yrs | 39.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $65,541 | $65,472 |
| Median home value | $227,800 | $235,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,046 | $1,085 |
| Housing units | 173,220 | 100,109 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 65.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 26.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 375,195 → 386,740 (+3.1%) | 219,271 → 231,485 (+5.6%) |
| Median household income | $51,569 → $65,541 (+27.1%) | $52,835 → $65,472 (+23.9%) |
| Median home value | $159,300 → $227,800 (+43.0%) | $144,200 → $235,000 (+63.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $812 → $1,046 (+28.8%) | $832 → $1,085 (+30.4%) |
Forsyth County
375,195386,740
$51,569$65,541
$159,300$227,800
$812$1,046
Gaston County
219,271231,485
$52,835$65,472
$144,200$235,000
$832$1,085
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.7% | 5.8% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.1% | 16.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.0% | 7.9% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.1% | 13.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.1% | 12.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 13.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 13.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.0% | 9.8% |
| 75 and over | 6.6% | 6.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 54.2% | 67.8% |
| Black or African American | 24.9% | 17.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 2.3% | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.2% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.6% | 9.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | 11.9% |
| High school graduate | 24.1% | 29.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.9% | 33.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 22.6% | 18.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.3% | 7.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 75.4% | 78.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.3% | 9.1% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 12.6% | 10.3% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 0.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 66.5% | 72.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.1% | 2.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 14.4% | 7.5% |
| 20 or more units | 6.9% | 2.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.3% | 8.7% |
Poverty & households
| Forsyth County | Gaston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 12.8% |
| Average household size | 2.42 | 2.47 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1982 |
Full profiles
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