Gaston County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Gaston County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Gaston County, North Carolina has a population of 234,881, the 11th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $67,478 and the median home value is $266,000. The poverty rate is 13.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Gaston County Quick Facts

Population 234,881

Median Household Income $67,478

Median Home Value $266,000

Poverty Rate 13.5%

Unemployment Rate 4.8%

Median Age 39.1 years

Homeownership Rate 66.8%

Affordability Ratio 3.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 26.5%

High School Graduation 88.3%

Cities/Places 16

Population 234,881 11th of 100

Median Income $67,478 7% lower than state

Poverty Rate 13.5%

Unemployment 4.8%

How Gaston County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	231,485	234,881	+1.5%
Median household income	$65,472	$67,478	+3.1%
Median home value	$235,000	$266,000	+13.2%

Median Household Income

Gaston

$67,478

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Gaston

$266,000

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.6%

$25K-$50K 20.1%

$50K-$100K 30.6%

$100K+ 31.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.8%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

4.0%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

10.3%

$75K-$100K

12.9%

$100K-$125K

9.4%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

7.5%

$200K+

7.8%

Employment

4.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

62.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.8%

Renter 33.1%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,153/mo 20.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.4%

18-34

21.6%

35-54

26.2%

55-74

23.2%

75+

6.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Gaston County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Gastonia	82,884	$64,059	16.3%	$277,600
Mount Holly	18,208	$79,385	8.2%	$337,800
Belmont	15,546	$94,883	7.9%	$395,000
Kings Mountain	12,039	$49,564	23.0%	$204,100
Cherryville	6,226	$70,625	12.4%	$232,100
Dallas	6,104	$58,403	10.5%	$254,000
Bessemer City	5,580	$60,300	16.4%	$206,100
Cramerton	5,450	$82,160	6.3%	$343,400
Ranlo	4,617	$78,033	5.5%	$200,200
Stanley	4,069	$75,461	8.1%	$270,200
Lowell	3,768	$52,500	17.4%	$200,600
Springdale	1,075	$55,096	19.0%	$201,900
McAdenville	1,010	$112,083	7.0%	$377,000
Alexis	635	N/A	0.0%	$196,000
High Shoals	534	$53,333	23.2%	$230,400
Dellview	26	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Gaston County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 234,881. It is the 11th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 16 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Gaston County is 39.1 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Gaston County is $67,478. This is 7% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 13.5%. This is 4% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. The median home value is $266,000. Housing costs are 8% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Gaston County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 66.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 17.1%.

Education

26.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 88.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Gaston County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Gaston County, North Carolina?

Gaston County has a population of 234,881, making it the 11th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Gaston County?

The median household income in Gaston County is $67,478 with a poverty rate of 13.5%.

How many cities are in Gaston County, North Carolina?

Gaston County contains 16 Census-designated places.