Population 20,064 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gaston
Household size in Gaston
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.51 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.55 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Gaston average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Columbia area, where it has 2.46 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.0 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.8 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.3 | 39.4 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +2.3 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Gaston is 37.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.3, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the southeast.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 13.2% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 13.4% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 12.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.0% | 12.9% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Gaston (18.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Gaston has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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
Renters in Gaston
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 31.2% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 32.8% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.3% | 32.1% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.2% | 30.6% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Gaston rent their homes (27.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over half of owners (52.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the southeast. The renter share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 10.7% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 12.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 10.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Gaston as nationally: 10.8%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1985 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1986 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1990 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Gaston is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1992, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The picture is much the same across the Columbia area.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $717 | $831 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $780 | $908 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $838 | $1,021 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $985 | $1,285 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$268 | +$453 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Gaston costs $985 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $268 a month since 2006–10, up 37%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.3% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Gaston
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 31.5% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 31.8% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 34.1% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 35.9% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Gaston: 11.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 172 South Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only four have a lower share of college graduates.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.2% | 88.1% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.0% | 88.7% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.0% | 90.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.0% | 91.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +3.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Gaston never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Gaston has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five South Carolina cities.
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
| Period | Gaston | Columbia area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.2 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Gaston: 7.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.8 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston | 2.59 | 37.3 | 18.0% | 27.2% | 10.8% | 1992 | $985 | 11.7% | 83.0% | 7.5% |
| South Congaree | 2.27 | 39.1 | 16.4% | 25.2% | 10.7% | 1983 | $1,021 | 19.2% | 86.5% | 4.2% |
| Pine Ridge | 2.41 | 39.4 | 11.2% | 23.0% | 8.8% | 1988 | $1,270 | 24.3% | 92.4% | 2.8% |
| Swansea | 2.46 | 45.9 | 12.6% | 15.0% | 14.0% | 1991 | $1,021 | 16.7% | 88.3% | 4.0% |
| Pelion | 2.69 | 38.3 | 18.7% | 19.9% | 10.7% | 1994 | $965 | 12.4% | 80.8% | 2.2% |
| Cayce | 2.13 | 41.4 | 12.4% | 37.3% | 8.0% | 1978 | $1,259 | 34.3% | 92.9% | 4.8% |
| West Columbia | 2.28 | 39.8 | 10.6% | 32.6% | 9.3% | 1986 | $1,138 | 34.3% | 90.0% | 4.2% |
| Independents | 2.00 | 52.0 | 5.4% | 17.9% | 13.3% | 1992 | $984 | 16.7% | 96.1% | 6.4% |
| Springdale | 2.65 | 35.8 | 13.3% | 32.0% | 11.3% | 1972 | $1,135 | 24.8% | 92.0% | 5.3% |
| Red Bank | 2.63 | 38.4 | 13.7% | 23.5% | 6.6% | 1991 | $1,261 | 20.5% | 91.5% | 5.6% |
| Olympia | 2.76 | 24.2 | 13.0% | 78.8% | 21.2% | 1945 | $1,171 | 16.6% | 65.2% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: San Jose, PR · East Lake, FL · East Rancho Dominguez, CA · Eastchester, NY · Elkins Park, PA · Enola, PA · Fairland, MD · Griffith, IN · Salinas, PR · Dunn, NC
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. 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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