Population 10,376 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gates County
Household size in Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.64 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.61 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Gates County has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.65, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the northwest.
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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.2 | 37.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 37.6 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.0 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.9 | 39.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +2.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.9, Gates County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.2 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the south.
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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 13.7% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 13.6% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 12.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 12.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.1% of households in Gates County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 8.8 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six of North Carolina's 100 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Gates County
Renters in Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 35.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 37.6% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.5% | 38.4% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 36.6% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Gates County is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 53.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 0.7 points, 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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 9.1% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 9.7% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 9.5% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Gates County: 13.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 1.2 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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1979 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1980 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1982 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Gates County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1989, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center 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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $661 | $1,107 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $708 | $1,232 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $850 | $1,358 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,195 | $1,647 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$534 | +$540 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Gates County pays $1,195 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $534 a month from 2006–10, an 81% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 21.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the east.
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 Gates County
Bachelor's degrees in Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 27.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 28.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 32.0% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 35.4% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +7.9 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Gates County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 10.7%, against 35.6% nationally. Only one other North Carolina county has 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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.7% | 88.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.5% | 90.0% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.8% | 91.5% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 92.8% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Gates County is close to the national rate: 90.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Virginia Beach area (92.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.4 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Gates County
| Period | Gates County | Virginia Beach area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 6.5% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 8.2% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 5.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Gates County is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Gates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates County | 2.53 | 46.9 | 7.1% | 19.1% | 13.0% | 1989 | $1,195 | 10.7% | 90.1% | 5.1% |
| Hertford County | 2.23 | 42.4 | 12.8% | 32.6% | 14.6% | 1977 | $873 | 18.1% | 84.7% | 6.4% |
| Camden County | 2.72 | 40.4 | 9.9% | 17.9% | 6.6% | 1999 | $1,344 | 28.8% | 93.1% | 5.4% |
| Currituck County | 2.63 | 42.9 | 8.3% | 12.7% | 12.3% | 1999 | $1,413 | 30.7% | 93.4% | 2.8% |
| Northampton County | 2.11 | 50.3 | 13.8% | 25.4% | 21.1% | 1979 | $731 | 18.3% | 85.1% | 8.2% |
| Halifax County | 2.32 | 43.7 | 16.0% | 37.1% | 16.8% | 1977 | $829 | 17.6% | 82.9% | 8.9% |
| Warren County | 2.27 | 48.6 | 12.5% | 30.6% | 27.2% | 1987 | $888 | 18.2% | 83.5% | 6.7% |
| Vance County | 2.66 | 39.3 | 19.2% | 39.9% | 15.9% | 1982 | $923 | 17.0% | 86.0% | 8.6% |
| Person County | 2.49 | 43.3 | 12.5% | 22.7% | 12.4% | 1983 | $982 | 19.0% | 88.8% | 5.6% |
| Caswell County | 2.42 | 45.9 | 12.2% | 24.8% | 15.2% | 1982 | $719 | 18.3% | 84.6% | 5.1% |
| Danville City | 2.18 | 40.8 | 16.1% | 52.2% | 14.2% | 1962 | $861 | 19.3% | 86.8% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pend Oreille County, WA · Lamar County, GA · Langlade County, WI · Lavaca County, TX · Lawrence County, AR · Lawrence County, KY · Lee County, SC · Lee County, TX · Leon County, TX · Lewis County, KY
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 Gates 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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