Town · North Carolina
Stanley, North Carolina
Stanley, town, in Gaston County, North Carolina. Stanley had 4,237 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,963 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,069 (±57). GEOID 3764500.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,237
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,963 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,069 ±57
Median household income
$75,461
±$19,862 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$270,200
±$50,825 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,122
±$84 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Stanley and what county is it in?
Stanley is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina. It covers 3.1 square miles of land, 1,297 residents per square mile in 2020.
Stanley 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 Stanley, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,237 people lived in Stanley on July 1, 2025, up 7.0% since 2020, in line with North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 3,963 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,069 (±57).
| Measure | Stanley | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,069 ±57 | 234,881 | +390 |
| Households | 1,545 ±143 | 93,576 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.53 ±0.23 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,639 ±146 | 101,671 | no clear change |
Stanley's population since 2000
From 3,053 in 2000 to 4,237 in 2025: up 38.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Stanley 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 Stanley?
The median resident of Stanley is 36.9 years old; 20.7% are under 18 and 16.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 10.5%.
| Measure | Stanley | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 ±5.7 | 39.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.7% ±4.2 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.6% ±4.2 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Male | 48.9% ±3.3 pts | 48.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.2% ±4.8 pts | 9.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.7% ±7.7 pts | 66.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.5% ±4.6 pts | 17.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±4.7 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2% ±1.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.5% ±4.2 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.2% ±3.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| With a disability | 12.8% ±4.0 pts | 14.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.7% ±3.9 pts | 10.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.0% ±3.4 pts | 88.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.1% ±5.2 pts | 26.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.6% ±3.2 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.6% ±9.5 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 8.5% ±9.3 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 Stanley earn?
Half of Stanley's 1,545 households earn less than $75,461 a year (±$19,862), against $67,478 in Gaston County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $68,590 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Stanley | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,461 ±$19,862 | $67,478 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $79,881 ±$8,334 | $91,074 | – |
| Per capita income | $31,343 ±$3,137 | $37,058 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.1% ±3.5 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.7% ±12.8 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.3% ±4.3 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.6% ±3.7 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.5% ±5.1 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 Stanley?
Owners occupy 70.7% of Stanley's occupied homes and renters 29.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $270,200 by its owner (±$50,825). The median renter pays $1,122 a month including utilities, and 30.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Stanley | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $270,200 ±$50,825 | $266,000 | +$96,549 |
| Median gross rent | $1,122 ±$84 | $1,153 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.3% ±17.6 pts | 40.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,774 ±$144 | $1,493 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.7% ±9.1 pts | 66.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.3% ±9.1 pts | 33.2% | – |
| Housing units | 1,639 ±146 | 101,671 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.7% ±7.2 pts | 73.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 8.0% ±4.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.1% ±3.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.7% ±6.0 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.3% ±2.1 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 Stanley work and get to work?
75.2% of Stanley's workers drive alone and 11.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.8%.
| Measure | Stanley | Gaston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.2% ±4.3 pts | 62.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±3.6 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.2% ±9.5 pts | 76.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.2% ±8.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.1% ±5.9 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.1 min ±2.6 | 27.0 min | −4.6 min |
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 Stanley?
1 census tract lies mostly in Stanley, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 302.05Gaston County | 3,709 | $65,263 |
| Tract 335.01Gaston County | 2,907 | $55,846 |
| Tract 335.02Gaston County | 2,647 | $105,744 |
| Tract 302.07Gaston County | 1,552 | not published |
| Tract 302.09Gaston County | 1,886 | $78,438 |
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 Stanley) · Census block assignment files
How does Stanley compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Stanley is the 5,365th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 176th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Stanley ranks 152nd 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 | 176th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 129th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 109th | 443 |
| Median household income | 152nd | 434 |
| Per capita income | 253rd | 443 |
| Median home value | 188th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 151st | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 270th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 263rd | 421 |
| Median age | 325th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 197th | 443 |
| Work from home | 182nd | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 155th | 439 |
Stanley's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Stanley 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 Stanley?
15 of the 57 figures for Stanley 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 Stanley 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 Stanley.