Bessemer City

Population: 5,508
Median household income: $48,784
Median home value: $173,000

Bessemer City is a community in Gaston County, North Carolina, home to 5,508 residents. The median household income of $48,784 is below the Gaston County median ($65,472).

From 2019 to 2023, Bessemer City's population held roughly steady from 5,471 to 5,508, while its median home value rose 58.6% from $109,100 to $173,000.

White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 78.7% of the population. 78.8% of workers drive to work alone.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 5,508
Median age: 34.3 yrs
Median household income: $48,784
Median home value: $173,000
Median gross rent: $942
Housing units: 2,397
Homeownership rate: 55.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 14.4%
Unemployment rate: 7.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

5,4715,508

Median household income

$40,714$48,784

Median home value

$109,100$173,000

Median gross rent

$772$942

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	5,471	$40,714	$109,100	$772
2020	5,536	$39,055	$110,200	$813
2021	5,452	$41,558	$113,200	$822
2022	5,472	$44,440	$139,100	$882
2023	5,508	$48,784	$173,000	$942

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

Age distribution

Under 56.8%

5 to 1713.7%

18 to 2410.5%

25 to 3419.7%

35 to 448.0%

45 to 5413.4%

55 to 6411.2%

65 to 7410.6%

75 and over6.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	375	6.8%
5 to 17	754	13.7%
18 to 24	577	10.5%
25 to 34	1,087	19.7%
35 to 44	438	8.0%
45 to 54	737	13.4%
55 to 64	617	11.2%
65 to 74	585	10.6%
75 and over	338	6.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	4,337	78.7%
Black or African American	605	11.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	8	0.1%
Asian	8	0.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	12	0.2%
Two or more races	156	2.8%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	382	6.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma18.0%

High school graduate36.8%

Some college or associate's30.9%

Bachelor's degree9.2%

Graduate or professional degree5.3%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	683	18.0%
High school graduate	1,398	36.8%
Some college or associate's	1,173	30.9%
Bachelor's degree	348	9.2%
Graduate or professional degree	200	5.3%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 24 min

Drove alone78.8%

Carpooled15.5%

Public transit0.0%

Walked0.7%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home4.8%

Other means0.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	1,940	78.8%
Carpooled	382	15.5%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	16	0.7%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	119	4.8%
Other means	4	0.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	524	22.4%
15 to 29 min	1,206	51.5%
30 to 44 min	244	10.4%
45 to 59 min	291	12.4%
60+ min	77	3.3%

Households

Average household size: 2.56
Poverty rate: 16.3% (899 of 5,501)

	Count	Share
Family households	1,459	68.1%
Nonfamily households	683	31.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1970

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	2,142	89.4%
Vacant	255	10.6%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	1,198	55.9%
Renter-occupied	944	44.1%

1-unit, detached74.8%

1-unit, attached1.8%

2 to 4 units10.2%

5 to 19 units3.7%

20 or more units4.4%

Mobile home & other5.0%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	1,792	74.8%
1-unit, attached	44	1.8%
2 to 4 units	245	10.2%
5 to 19 units	89	3.7%
20 or more units	106	4.4%
Mobile home & other	121	5.0%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3705220
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 5.69 sq mi
Water area: 0.06 sq mi
Center point: 35.2843, -81.2829