Population 234,881 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gaston County
Household size in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.68 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.60 | 2.67 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.62 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Gaston County has 2.52 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.61, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8 | 36.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 37.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 38.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
At 40.2, the median age in Gaston County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.8, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Gaston County (13.9%), above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Gaston County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of North Carolina counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Gaston County
Renters in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.5% | 30.9% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 33.4% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.7% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 34.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Gaston County rent their homes (33.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 38.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 10.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 10.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 8.6% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 8.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Gaston County is close to the national rate: 8.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy has fallen 3.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Gaston County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five North Carolina counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1989 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1994 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Gaston County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in the Charlotte area overall, where the median home dates to 1994. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $681 | $875 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $745 | $966 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $861 | $1,127 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,249 | $1,552 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$568 | +$678 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Gaston County pays $1,249 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $568 a month from 2006–10, an 83% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Gaston County
Bachelor's degrees in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 30.6% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 32.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.7% | 35.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.9% | 40.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +10.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Gaston County (26.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.3% | 85.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.8% | 87.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.9% | 89.2% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.5% | 90.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Gaston County have finished high school as nationally: 88.5%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Charlotte area (90.6%). The share with a diploma has risen 9.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Gaston County
| Period | Gaston County | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.3% | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 10.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | −4.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 4.9%, unemployment in Gaston County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.5 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Gaston County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston County | 2.52 | 40.2 | 13.9% | 33.2% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,249 | 26.9% | 88.5% | 4.9% |
| Mecklenburg County | 2.53 | 36.5 | 11.5% | 44.9% | 8.1% | 1995 | $1,767 | 49.0% | 90.4% | 4.2% |
| Cleveland County | 2.62 | 41.4 | 13.9% | 29.1% | 12.7% | 1980 | $966 | 21.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
| Cabarrus County | 2.85 | 38.2 | 11.3% | 28.8% | 10.6% | 1993 | $1,628 | 38.9% | 92.0% | 4.6% |
| Rutherford County | 2.44 | 44.9 | 12.5% | 26.1% | 15.9% | 1981 | $815 | 21.2% | 87.4% | 6.0% |
| Stanly County | 2.53 | 41.3 | 11.4% | 25.5% | 11.0% | 1976 | $898 | 19.4% | 88.0% | 4.4% |
| Polk County | 2.22 | 52.9 | 7.8% | 23.1% | 17.9% | 1984 | $1,310 | 34.3% | 92.3% | 5.2% |
| Montgomery County | 2.41 | 44.4 | 12.4% | 25.0% | 24.2% | 1983 | $789 | 19.3% | 85.0% | 3.3% |
| Henderson County | 2.37 | 47.1 | 10.5% | 25.0% | 11.9% | 1989 | $1,256 | 35.6% | 90.9% | 3.5% |
| Transylvania County | 2.27 | 49.5 | 8.8% | 25.3% | 20.7% | 1982 | $1,225 | 38.9% | 93.7% | 2.8% |
| Moore County | 2.42 | 44.7 | 7.6% | 23.6% | 12.5% | 1993 | $1,352 | 41.5% | 93.8% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Richmond City, VA · Deschutes County, OR · Delaware County, OH · Dauphin County, PA · Cumberland County, PA · Cumberland County, ME · Clermont County, OH · Clayton County, GA · Clay County, MO · Clay County, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Gaston County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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