City · North Carolina
Bessemer City, North Carolina
Bessemer City, city, in Gaston County, North Carolina. Bessemer City had 5,834 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,428 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,580 (±21). GEOID 3705220.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,834
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,428 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,580 ±21
Median household income
$60,300
±$13,103 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$206,100
±$21,456 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,053
±$176 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Bessemer City and what county is it in?
Bessemer City is a city in Gaston County, North Carolina. It covers 5.7 square miles of land, 954 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bessemer City is in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bessemer City, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,834 people lived in Bessemer City on July 1, 2025, up 7.5% since 2020, in line with North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 5,428 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,580 (±21).
| Measure | Bessemer City | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,580 ±21 | 234,881 | +109 |
| Households | 2,082 ±216 | 93,576 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.67 ±0.27 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,390 ±268 | 101,671 | no clear change |
Bessemer City's population since 2000
From 5,119 in 2000 to 5,834 in 2025: up 14.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bessemer City as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bessemer City?
The median resident of Bessemer City is 34.3 years old; 22.8% are under 18 and 16.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 74.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 13.0%. 5.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Bessemer City | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 ±5.4 | 39.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.8% ±4.7 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.9% ±3.5 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Male | 51.5% ±3.5 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.6% ±5.2 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 74.9% ±6.4 pts | 66.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.0% ±4.9 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8% ±1.5 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.4% ±2.6 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.5% ±6.0 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±3.1 pts | 6.7% | – |
| With a disability | 20.0% ±4.0 pts | 14.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.9% ±4.7 pts | 10.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.9% ±6.5 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.1% ±3.6 pts | 26.5% | +9.0 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.3% ±3.0 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±4.0 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bessemer City earn?
Half of Bessemer City's 2,082 households earn less than $60,300 a year (±$13,103), against $67,478 in Gaston County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $50,106 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bessemer City | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,300 ±$13,103 | $67,478 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $73,918 ±$9,049 | $91,074 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,527 ±$3,098 | $37,058 | +$4,940 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.4% ±5.8 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 24.0% ±11.8 pts | 18.4% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.4% ±8.0 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.6% ±5.7 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4% ±7.3 pts | 89.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bessemer City?
Owners occupy 66.0% of Bessemer City's occupied homes and renters 34.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $206,100 by its owner (±$21,456). The median renter pays $1,053 a month including utilities, and 44.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bessemer City | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $206,100 ±$21,456 | $266,000 | +$71,831 |
| Median gross rent | $1,053 ±$176 | $1,153 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.9% ±15.1 pts | 40.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,222 ±$107 | $1,493 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.0% ±9.0 pts | 66.8% | +14.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.0% ±9.0 pts | 33.2% | – |
| Housing units | 2,390 ±268 | 101,671 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.8% ±5.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.8% ±8.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.6% ±5.7 pts | 73.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.1% ±3.7 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4% ±1.6 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.4% ±3.4 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.4% ±5.6 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.9% ±4.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Bessemer City work and get to work?
76.4% of Bessemer City's workers drive alone and 7.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.9%.
| Measure | Bessemer City | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.3% ±4.5 pts | 62.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% ±3.3 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 76.4% ±9.0 pts | 76.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.0% ±9.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.1% ±3.7 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.6 min ±4.0 | 27.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bessemer City?
1 census tract lies mostly in Bessemer City, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 308.02Gaston County | 4,011 | $48,203 |
| Tract 316Gaston County | 4,036 | $48,000 |
| Tract 308.01Gaston County | 1,618 | $77,143 |
| Tract 317.03Gaston County | 3,437 | $61,250 |
| Tract 305.03Gaston County | 2,278 | $42,083 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bessemer City) · Census block assignment files
How does Bessemer City compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bessemer City is the 4,488th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 134th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Bessemer City ranks 239th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 134th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 123rd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 207th | 443 |
| Median household income | 239th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 313th | 443 |
| Median home value | 281st | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 186th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 164th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 346th | 421 |
| Median age | 389th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 233rd | 443 |
| Work from home | 246th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 112th | 439 |
Bessemer City's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Bessemer City with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bessemer City?
11 of the 57 figures for Bessemer City on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bessemer City are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Bessemer City.