Gastonia is a city located in Gaston County North Carolina. Gastonia has a 2024 population of 85,080. Gastonia is currently growing at a rate of 1.36% annually and its population has increased by 5.65% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 80,528 in 2020.
The average household income in Gastonia is $83,902 with a poverty rate of 14.28%. The median age in Gastonia is 37.2 years: 35.1 years for males, and 38.6 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Gastonia was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 45,063 | 55.2% |
| Black or African American | 25,201 | 30.87% |
| Two or more races | 6,367 | 7.8% |
| Other race | 3,786 | 4.64% |
| Asian | 992 | 1.22% |
| Native American | 200 | 0.25% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 23 | 0.03% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 31,707 | 2.53 | 54.2 | 45.8 |
| Married | 12,715 | 3.19 | 76.8 | 23.2 |
| Non Family | 11,332 | 1.25 | 37.9 | 62.1 |
| Female | 5,357 | 3.32 | 41.6 | 58.4 |
| Male | 2,303 | 3.28 | 38.4 | 61.6 |
3.12
Average Family Size
2.53
Average Household Size
54.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 4,114 | 7.59% |
| Associates Degree | 5,815 | 10.73% |
| Bachelors Degree | 10,301 | 19.01% |
| Graduate Degree | 4,700 | 8.68% |
| High School Graduate | 15,358 | 28.35% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 2,168 | 4% |
| Some College | 11,720 | 21.63% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 30,901 | 27,787 | 10,067 |
| Black | 15,687 | 14,019 | 3,057 |
| Hispanic | 5,136 | 3,859 | 891 |
| 2+ Races | 2,880 | 2,440 | 880 |
| Other Race | 2,287 | 1,557 | 327 |
| Asian | 680 | 602 | 328 |
| Native American | 129 | 115 | 24 |
| Islander | 23 | 13 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 89.92%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 48.24%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $57,075 | $76,296 | $47,837 |
| Graduate Degree | $67,051 | $78,462 | $62,130 |
| High School Graduate | $33,560 | $40,283 | $27,963 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $27,765 | $40,261 | $14,865 |
| Overall | $43,890 | $48,635 | $40,068 |
| Some College | $42,662 | $47,747 | $38,762 |
$43,890
Average Earnings
$48,635
Average Male
$40,068
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
88.19% of Gastonia residents speak only English, while 11.81% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 9.68% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 40,835 | 4,329 | 10.6% |
| Black | 24,698 | 4,137 | 16.75% |
| Hispanic | 9,193 | 2,152 | 23.41% |
| Multiple | 6,256 | 1,538 | 24.58% |
| Other | 3,717 | 535 | 14.39% |
| Asian | 985 | 71 | 7.21% |
| Native | 200 | 46 | 23% |
14.28%
Overall Poverty Rate
12.8%
Male Poverty Rate
15.64%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Gastonia is Multiple, with 24.58% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Gastonia is Asian, with 7.21% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.89%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.34%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.14%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 36.08% |
| High School | 15.54% |
| Some College | 10.58% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.52% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 31.45% |
| Male Unemployed | 30.28% |
| Male Employed | 7.07% |
| Female Employed | 6.73% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $76,805 | $98,452 |
| Households | $60,554 | $83,902 |
| Married Families | $103,686 | $125,043 |
| Non Families | $37,070 | $54,073 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
46.1%
Male Marriage Rate
40.5%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
4,483
Number of Veterans
4,122
Male Veterans
361
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,591 |
| First Gulf War | 1,287 |
| Second Gulf War | 1,186 |
| Korea | 147 |
| World War II | 21 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 1,160 |
| 35 to 54 | 1,022 |
| 75+ | 1,010 |
| 18 to 34 | 669 |
| 55 to 64 | 622 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,018 | 8.46% |
| Black | 1,057 | 5.78% |
| 2+ Races | 365 | 10.29% |
| Hispanic | 288 | 4.43% |
| Other Race | 43 | 1.52% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.79%
Veteran Poverty Rate
37.36%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.5%
Labor Force Participation
61.1%
Employment Rate
5.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
61.76%
Born in Gastonia
92.65%
Native Born
7.35%
Foreign Born
3.83%
Non Citizen
3.52%
Naturalized
92.65% of Gastonia residents were born in the United States, with 61.76% having been born in North Carolina. 3.83% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 90,770 | 1,138 | 1.27% |
| 2028 | 89,632 | 1,138 | 1.29% |
| 2027 | 88,494 | 1,138 | 1.3% |
| 2026 | 87,356 | 1,138 | 1.32% |
| 2025 | 86,218 | 1,138 | 1.34% |
| 2024 | 85,080 | 1,138 | 1.36% |
| 2023 | 83,942 | 1,389 | 1.68% |
| 2022 | 82,553 | 1,217 | 1.5% |
| 2021 | 81,336 | 808 | 1% |
| 2020 | 80,528 | 3,181 | 4.11% |
| 2019 | 77,347 | 363 | 0.47% |
| 2018 | 76,984 | 616 | 0.81% |
| 2017 | 76,368 | 1,355 | 1.81% |
| 2016 | 75,013 | 964 | 1.3% |
| 2015 | 74,049 | 836 | 1.14% |
| 2014 | 73,213 | 401 | 0.55% |
| 2013 | 72,812 | 293 | 0.4% |
| 2012 | 72,519 | 636 | 0.88% |
| 2011 | 71,883 | 167 | 0.23% |
| 2010 | 71,716 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 66,277 | 11,545 | 21.09% |
| 1990 | 54,732 | 7,514 | 15.91% |
| 1980 | 47,218 | -104 | -0.22% |
| 1970 | 47,322 | 10,046 | 26.95% |
| 1960 | 37,276 | 14,207 | 61.58% |
| 1950 | 23,069 | 1,756 | 8.24% |
| 1940 | 21,313 | 4,220 | 24.69% |
| 1930 | 17,093 | 4,222 | 32.8% |
| 1920 | 12,871 | 7,112 | 123.49% |
| 1910 | 5,759 | 1,149 | 24.92% |
| 1900 | 4,610 | -86,160 | -94.92% |