Gaston County vs Onslow County
A side-by-side comparison of Gaston County and Onslow County: population, income, housing, and more.
Gaston County and Onslow County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Gaston County has the higher population (231,485 vs 208,537 in Onslow County). Gaston County has the higher median household income ($65,472 vs $64,568 in Onslow County). Gaston County has the higher median home value ($235,000 vs $219,500 in Onslow County).
Population, income & housing
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 231,485 | 208,537 |
| Median age | 39.5 yrs | 27.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $65,472 | $64,568 |
| Median home value | $235,000 | $219,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,085 | $1,198 |
| Housing units | 100,109 | 85,917 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 61.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 26.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.8% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 219,271 → 231,485 (+5.6%) | 195,069 → 208,537 (+6.9%) |
| Median household income | $52,835 → $65,472 (+23.9%) | $50,278 → $64,568 (+28.4%) |
| Median home value | $144,200 → $235,000 (+63.0%) | $156,900 → $219,500 (+39.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $832 → $1,085 (+30.4%) | $997 → $1,198 (+20.2%) |
Gaston County
219,271231,485
$52,835$65,472
$144,200$235,000
$832$1,085
Onslow County
195,069208,537
$50,278$64,568
$156,900$219,500
$997$1,198
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.8% | 8.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 21.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.6% | 17.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 11.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.7% | 7.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 8.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.8% | 6.0% |
| 75 and over | 6.5% | 3.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 67.8% | 64.8% |
| Black or African American | 17.3% | 11.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 1.6% | 1.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 3.4% | 6.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.3% | 13.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 11.9% | 6.8% |
| High school graduate | 29.0% | 29.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 33.1% | 37.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 18.2% | 17.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 7.7% | 8.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 78.2% | 66.4% |
| Carpooled | 9.1% | 12.7% |
| Public transit | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.0% | 7.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 10.3% | 10.9% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 2.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 72.7% | 64.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.9% | 9.9% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.6% | 4.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.5% | 4.6% |
| 20 or more units | 2.6% | 4.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 8.7% | 12.2% |
Poverty & households
| Gaston County | Onslow County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 11.7% |
| Average household size | 2.47 | 2.57 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 26 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1982 | 1997 |
Full profiles
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