City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Gastonia, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Gastonia - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

81,632
Residents
$60,554
Median income
$250,000
Median home
$1,686
Median rent (state)

Gastonia - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Gastonia lands in the 36th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
56th
percentile, home value
67th
percentile, median rent
6th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Gastonia, NC

81,632 people live in Gastonia, North Carolina - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Gastonia brings in $60,554 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.2%. Home values in Gastonia run a median of $250,000, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. Educational attainment runs 27.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Gastonia's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4363.7 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 61.8°F with 44.0 inches of precipitation per year and 1.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,686 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Workers in Gastonia report an average commute of 23.2 minutes, with 77.7% driving alone and 9.8% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 84.9 out of 100 (High).

Population

81,632 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$60,554 /yr

Poverty 11.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Gastonia compare to other US cities?

Gastonia measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 56% pricier than other cities
Median rent 67% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Gastonia ranks #160 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Gastonia against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Gastonia toward the top of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Gastonia ranks #51 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gastonia only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#328 of 700
53rd percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#51 of 746
88th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#218 of 708
69th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#328 of 746
55th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#259 of 746
65th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

36thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Gastonia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Gastonia's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 27 Avg. percentile National median
Gastonia's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Gastonia's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$250,000 44th percentile more affordable than 44% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Gastonia $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Gastonia, NC Gastonia, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Gastonia, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Gastonia, NC median $60,554/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Gastonia, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Gastonia, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
81,632
Median Income
$60,554
Median Home Value
$250,000
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
11.2%
Labor force participation
61.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4363.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
849.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3514.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
61.8°F
Annual Precipitation
44.0"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"

Schools

Total Schools
25
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
78,000 residents80,000 residents82,000 residents84,000 residents86,000 residents88,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 80,572 residents 87,067 residents ▲ +8.1%
Gastonia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 352
2020 571
2021 924
2022 538
2023 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2023.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.2 minutes
Drive Alone
77.7%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
0.8%
Work from Home
9.8%
Other
1.1%

Based on 38,115 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Gastonia sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,686/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Greenville
88,540 people
Jacksonville
73,507 people
Asheville
94,369 people
Apex
67,765 people
Huntersville
62,458 people
Chapel Hill
59,889 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Gastonia's 81,632 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

New Rochelle, NY
81,591 people
Lake Charles, LA
81,679 people
Alhambra, CA
81,483 people
Warner Robins, GA
81,438 people
Miami Beach, FL
81,319 people
The Villages, FL
82,108 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Gastonia's $60,554 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Powhatan, AR
$60,556 median income
Harbor Springs, MI
$60,556 median income
Orchard Hills, PA
$60,556 median income
Adamsville, AL
$60,564 median income
Silver Springs Shores, FL
$60,543 median income
Clyde, NY
$60,543 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Gastonia, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Gastonia, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 55.2% 30.9% 7.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.4% White 55.2% Black or African American 30.9% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.6% Two or more races 7.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Gastonia compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Gastonia (this city) 81,632 $60,554
Greenville 88,540 $50,564
Jacksonville 73,507 $54,069
Asheville 94,369 $67,221
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Gastonia, NC?

What is the population of Gastonia, NC? +

Gastonia, NC has a population of 81,632 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Gastonia, NC? +

In Gastonia, the typical household earns $60,554 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Gastonia? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Gastonia; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Gastonia, NC safe? +

Gastonia has a total crime rate of 4363.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Gastonia, NC? +

The median home value in Gastonia is $250,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Gastonia? +

The average annual temperature in Gastonia runs 61.8°F, 44.0 inches of precipitation, and 1.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.