Gaston County, North Carolina Population 2024

240,514

Gaston County, North Carolina's estimated 2024 population is 240,514 with a growth rate of 1.38% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Gaston County, North Carolina is the 12th largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 206,114 and has seen a growth of 16.69% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
2029256,8743,2721.29%
2028253,6023,2721.31%
2027250,3303,2721.32%
2026247,0583,2721.34%
2025243,7863,2721.36%
2024240,5143,2721.38%
2023237,2423,2721.4%
2022233,9702,6931.16%
2021231,2772,7451.2%
2020228,5323,8801.73%
2019224,6521,7900.8%
2018222,8623,0741.4%
2017219,7883,0611.41%
2016216,7273,7291.75%
2015212,9982,3991.14%
2014210,5991,3570.65%
2013209,2421,3270.64%
2012207,9151,0210.49%
2011206,8947800.38%
2010206,11400%
1990175,09312,5257.7%
1980162,56814,1539.54%
1970148,41521,34116.79%
1960127,07416,23814.65%
1950110,83623,30526.62%
194087,5319,43812.09%
193078,09326,85152.4%
192051,24214,17938.26%
191037,0639,16032.83%
190027,90310,13957.08%
189017,7643,51024.62%
188014,2541,65213.11%
187012,6023,29535.4%
18609,3071,23415.29%
18508,073-248,801-96.86%
2024 Growth Rate
1.38% (3,272)
County Website
Gaston County
2020 Population
228,532
Area
356 mi²
Density
676 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
5.24% (11,982)
Founded
December 21, 1846

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White166,43172.69%
Black or African American39,35117.19%
Two or more races12,9405.65%
Other race5,4442.38%
Asian3,9041.71%
Native American5840.26%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander3180.14%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Gaston County, North Carolina Population by Race

Gaston County, North Carolina Population Pyramid 2024

Gaston County, North Carolina Median Age

39.9

Total

38.3

Male

40.9

Female

Gaston County, North Carolina Adults

There are 177,838 adults, (37,437 of whom are seniors) in Gaston County, North Carolina.

Gaston County, North Carolina Age Dependency

63.1

Age Dependency Ratio

26.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

36.4

Child Dependency Ratio

Gaston County, North Carolina Sex Ratio

Female117,74751.42%
Male111,22548.58%

Gaston County, North Carolina Population by Age

Gaston County, North Carolina Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All90,4272.56733
Married41,9983.1282.417.6
Non Family31,0151.2255.644.4
Female12,1673.2949.450.6
Male5,2473.2452.947.1

3.06

Average Family Size

2.5

Average Household Size

67.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Gaston County, North Carolina Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade13,6628.59%
Associates Degree17,82811.21%
Bachelors Degree27,97217.59%
Graduate Degree11,7697.4%
High School Graduate46,80929.44%
Less Than 9th Grade5,9953.77%
Some College34,95121.98%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Gaston County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Gaston County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White117,595103,75730,525
Black25,36122,2015,007
Hispanic9,5387,7731,664
2+ Races5,8285,0191,585
Other Race3,2012,299471
Asian2,5872,3261,201
Native American448359160
Islander22718677

The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 89.91%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 46.42%.

Gaston County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$58,565$72,485$50,142
Graduate Degree$69,759$81,667$63,527
High School Graduate$35,448$41,612$29,454
Less Than 9th Grade$28,300$33,853$21,333
Overall$44,358$50,728$37,918
Some College$42,435$50,405$36,326

$44,358

Average Earnings

$50,728

Average Male

$37,918

Average Female

Gaston County, North Carolina Earnings by Educational Attainment

Gaston County, North Carolina Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Gaston County, North Carolina Language

91.54% of Gaston County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 8.46% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 6.28% of the population.

Gaston County, North Carolina Language

Gaston County, North Carolina Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White156,46616,41310.49%
Black38,5245,72314.86%
Hispanic18,1844,28323.55%
Multiple12,7813,24025.35%
Other5,3861,05119.51%
Asian3,8731443.72%
Native5626411.39%
Islander2993110.37%

12.43%

Overall Poverty Rate

10.79%

Male Poverty Rate

13.96%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Gaston County, North Carolina

The race most likely to be in poverty in Gaston County, North Carolina is Multiple, with 25.35% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Gaston County, North Carolina is Asian, with 3.72% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.21%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.85%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 20.66%.

Gaston County, North Carolina Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade27.04%
High School13.59%
Some College8.35%
Bachelors or Greater4.07%

Gaston County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed30.79%
Male Unemployed22.15%
Female Employed6.17%
Male Employed5.36%

Gaston County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Gaston County, North Carolina Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$78,252$98,209
Households$62,628$83,359
Married Families$94,498$115,366
Non Families$34,550$51,012

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Gaston County, North Carolina Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

48.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

50.7%

Male Marriage Rate

46.1%

Female Marriage Rate

Gaston County, North Carolina Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Gaston County, North Carolina Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Gaston County, North Carolina Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Gaston County, North Carolina Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

13,229

Number of Veterans

12,180

Male Veterans

1,049

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam4,764
First Gulf War3,419
Second Gulf War2,492
Korea602
World War II122

Gaston County, North Carolina Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 543,508
65 to 743,328
75+2,939
55 to 642,449
18 to 341,005

Gaston County, North Carolina Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White10,5937.92%
Black2,0146.91%
Hispanic5564.87%
2+ Races4015.65%
Other Race1353.43%
Asian662.24%
Native American204.37%

Gaston County, North Carolina Veterans by Race

Gaston County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

5.31%

Veteran Poverty Rate

30.45%

Veteran Disability Rate

Gaston County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

62.5%

Labor Force Participation

59.3%

Employment Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

Gaston County, North Carolina Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Gaston County, North Carolina Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Gaston County, North Carolina Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

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.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

66.58%

Born in Gaston County, North Carolina

94.84%

Native Born

5.16%

Foreign Born

2.82%

Non Citizen

2.33%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

94.84% of Gaston County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 66.58% having been born in North Carolina. 2.82% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Gaston County, North Carolina Place of Birth

Sources