Census tract · Gaston County
Census Tract 316, Gaston County, North Carolina
Census Tract 316, GEOID 37071031600, in Gaston County, North Carolina, partly within Bessemer City, Kings Mountain and Gastonia. 4,036 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±564); the 2020 Census counted 3,591.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,036
±564 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,591
Median household income
$48,000
±$8,479 (90% margin)
Gaston County: $67,478
Median home value
$186,800
±$13,858 (90% margin)
Gaston County: $266,000
Median gross rent
$1,091
±$268 (90% margin)
Gaston County: $1,153
Where is Census Tract 316?
Census Tract 316 is one of 85 census tracts in Gaston County, North Carolina. It covers 8.78 square miles of land, 409 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 37071031600, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Bessemer City | 48% |
| Kings Mountain | 18% |
| Gastonia | 7% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 316: Tract 9505 in Cleveland County ($35,946), Tract 9506.03 in Cleveland County ($77,083), Tract 308.01 ($77,143), Tract 308.02 ($48,203), Tract 315 ($27,825), Tract 317.03 ($61,250), Tract 317.06 and Tract 318 ($38,393). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 316?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 316's population at 4,036 (±564) in 1,524 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,591 residents and 1,575 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 316 | Gaston County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,036 ±564 | 234,881 |
| Households | 1,524 ±159 | 93,576 |
| Average household size | 2.65 ±0.29 | 2.48 |
| Housing units | 1,648 ±144 | 101,671 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 316?
The median resident of Census Tract 316 is 36.5 years old; 20.4% are under 18 and 15.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 65.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 25.5%.
| Measure | Tract 316 | Gaston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 ±6.1 | 39.1 |
| Under 18 years | 20.4% ±4.6 pts | 22.4% |
| 65 years and over | 15.5% ±3.7 pts | 16.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.5% ±4.0 pts | 9.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 65.9% ±8.8 pts | 66.4% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 25.5% ±8.2 pts | 17.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 1.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 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 | 1.8% ±1.6 pts | 4.2% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% |
| Born outside the United States | 3.4% ±2.8 pts | 6.4% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.9% ±3.8 pts | 10.0% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±2.5 pts | 6.7% |
| With a disability | 16.9% ±4.3 pts | 14.5% |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.5% ±5.5 pts | 10.7% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.8% ±6.0 pts | 88.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.6% ±4.7 pts | 26.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.8% ±4.2 pts | 8.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.1% ±2.9 pts | 89.8% |
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 Census Tract 316 earn?
Half of the 1,524 households in Census Tract 316 earn less than $48,000 a year (±$8,479), against $67,478 across Gaston County: 69th highest of the county's 81 tracts with a reliable estimate. 23.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 316 | Gaston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,000 ±$8,479 | $67,478 |
| Mean household income | $67,755 ±$13,702 | $91,074 |
| Per capita income | $26,928 ±$4,182 | $37,058 |
| People below the poverty line | 23.9% ±8.6 pts | 13.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 36.3% ±18.5 pts | 18.4% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.3% ±10.5 pts | 16.1% |
| Households with a computer | 90.9% ±7.1 pts | 94.2% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.6% ±9.7 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 Census Tract 316?
Owners occupy 55.0% of Census Tract 316's occupied homes and renters 45.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $186,800 by its owner (±$13,858). The median renter pays $1,091 a month including utilities, and 55.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 316 | Gaston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $186,800 ±$13,858 | $266,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,091 ±$268 | $1,153 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 55.8% ±23.8 pts | 40.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,137 ±$194 | $1,493 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.0% ±11.0 pts | 66.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.0% ±11.0 pts | 33.2% |
| Housing units | 1,648 ±144 | 101,671 |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.8% ±9.3 pts | 73.4% |
| Mobile homes | 4.3% ±3.8 pts | 8.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5% ±2.2 pts | 2.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.4% ±4.9 pts | 10.7% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.3% ±5.2 pts | 7.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.0% ±1.5 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 Census Tract 316 get to work?
70.2% of Census Tract 316's workers drive alone and 8.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.9 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 316 | Gaston County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.5% ±6.1 pts | 62.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% ±5.9 pts | 4.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 70.2% ±10.0 pts | 76.7% |
| Carpooled | 17.0% ±12.1 pts | 8.7% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.4% |
| Walked | 3.9% ±4.6 pts | 0.9% |
| Worked from home | 8.8% ±5.3 pts | 12.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.9 min ±4.1 | 27.0 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
How does Census Tract 316 compare with the other tracts in Gaston County?
Among Gaston County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 316 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Gaston County |
|---|---|
| Population | 10th of 85 |
| Residents per square mile | 64th of 85 |
| Median household income | 69th of 81 |
| Per capita income | 69th of 85 |
| Median home value | 74th of 84 |
| Median gross rent | 45th of 76 |
| Poverty rate | 7th of 43 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65th of 82 |
| Median age | 59th of 85 |
| Owner-occupied share | 62nd of 84 |
The tracts next to it on Gaston County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 303.02 | 66th | $49,657±$19,788 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 301.03 | 67th | $49,444±$19,767 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 308.02 | 68th | $48,203±$11,497 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 316 | 69th | $48,000±$8,479 |
| Tract 310.04 | 70th | $47,688±$11,409 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 312.02 | 71st | $46,680±$11,795 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 332.04 | 72nd | $44,643±$13,023 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 316?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 316 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections