Gaston County, North Carolina

16 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 231,485
Median household income: $65,472
Median home value: $235,000

Home to 231,485 residents, Gaston County is one of North Carolina's counties. 16 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $65,472 runs below the North Carolina figure of $69,904.

Between 2019 and 2023, Gaston County's population grew 5.6% from 219,271 to 231,485, while its median household income rose 23.9% from $52,835 to $65,472.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 16.8% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 67.8% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 231,485
Median age: 39.5 yrs
Median household income: $65,472
Median home value: $235,000
Median gross rent: $1,085
Housing units: 100,109
Homeownership rate: 65.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 26.0%
Unemployment rate: 4.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

219,271231,485

Median household income

$52,835$65,472

Median home value

$144,200$235,000

Median gross rent

$832$1,085

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	219,271	$52,835	$144,200	$832
2020	222,119	$53,474	$156,800	$850
2021	226,097	$56,819	$170,500	$917
2022	228,972	$62,628	$206,700	$1,005
2023	231,485	$65,472	$235,000	$1,085

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.8%

5 to 1716.8%

18 to 247.9%

25 to 3413.6%

35 to 4412.6%

45 to 5413.7%

55 to 6413.3%

65 to 749.8%

75 and over6.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	13,413	5.8%
5 to 17	38,814	16.8%
18 to 24	18,326	7.9%
25 to 34	31,377	13.6%
35 to 44	29,158	12.6%
45 to 54	31,769	13.7%
55 to 64	30,870	13.3%
65 to 74	22,793	9.8%
75 and over	14,965	6.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	156,914	67.8%
Black or African American	40,133	17.3%
American Indian & Alaska Native	403	0.2%
Asian	3,685	1.6%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	85	0.0%
Some other race	829	0.4%
Two or more races	7,918	3.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	21,518	9.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma11.9%

High school graduate29.0%

Some college or associate's33.1%

Bachelor's degree18.2%

Graduate or professional degree7.7%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	19,228	11.9%
High school graduate	46,661	29.0%
Some college or associate's	53,252	33.1%
Bachelor's degree	29,339	18.2%
Graduate or professional degree	12,452	7.7%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 26 min

Drove alone78.2%

Carpooled9.1%

Public transit0.5%

Walked1.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home10.3%

Other means0.9%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	84,399	78.2%
Carpooled	9,836	9.1%
Public transit	488	0.5%
Walked	1,132	1.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	11,063	10.3%
Other means	1,012	0.9%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	21,310	22.0%
15 to 29 min	35,998	37.2%
30 to 44 min	24,202	25.0%
45 to 59 min	8,671	9.0%
60+ min	6,686	6.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.47
Poverty rate: 12.8% (29,054 of 227,676)

	Count	Share
Family households	60,960	66.1%
Nonfamily households	31,327	33.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1982

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	92,287	92.2%
Vacant	7,822	7.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	60,745	65.8%
Renter-occupied	31,542	34.2%

1-unit, detached72.7%

1-unit, attached2.9%

2 to 4 units5.6%

5 to 19 units7.5%

20 or more units2.6%

Mobile home & other8.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	72,817	72.7%
1-unit, attached	2,944	2.9%
2 to 4 units	5,606	5.6%
5 to 19 units	7,459	7.5%
20 or more units	2,617	2.6%
Mobile home & other	8,666	8.7%

Geography

County GEOID: 37071
State: North Carolina
Land area: 356 sq mi
Water area: 7.93 sq mi
Center point: 35.2928, -81.1774