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Living in
Gastonia.
About
Life in Gastonia
If you're considering Gastonia, you're looking at a working-class city in transition—not glamorous, but increasingly stable and affordable compared to Charlotte just 20 minutes away. The median home value hovers around $278,000 with median rents near $1,204, making it genuinely cheaper than the suburbs closer to Charlotte, and the job market has recovered reasonably well with unemployment at 4.3%. Manufacturing still matters here—Parkdale Mills headquarters is here, along with Freightliner and filtration companies—but like much of the Carolinas, the city has weathered decades of plant closures and outsourcing.
Gastonia at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.3%
Foreign-Born
8.5%
Broadband Internet
89.8%
of households
Population Growth
+8.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Gastonia: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gastonia, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (18.9%), and 10.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.6%
of residents
65 and Older
14.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.8%
of households
Married Couples
37.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.51
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for NC
Rent, home values, and income in Gastonia
Rent and home values here are close to the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,435
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
54.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $273,284 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above NC average
Unemployment in Gastonia and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Gastonia is 0.5 percentage points higher than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Gastonia Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area
Commute26.8 min avg
How Gastonia residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gastonia, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 59% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 170% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gastonia runs 170% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
889.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,897.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gastonia Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 9 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
84.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Gaston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Gaston County, which includes Gastonia, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 9 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | Hail | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2023 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110,000 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $755,000 |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.1M |
| 2018 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $66,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Gaston County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lincoln County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 17 miles from Gastonia) is typically good — 217 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
217
per year
Moderate Days
25
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lincoln County, NC (17 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gastonia has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/69°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
55°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
49
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
61
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 31°F | 3.84" |
| Feb | 57°F | 34°F | 3.27" |
| Mar | 65°F | 40°F | 3.55" |
| Apr | 74°F | 50°F | 3.51" |
| May | 81°F | 58°F | 3.54" |
| Jun | 87°F | 67°F | 4.29" |
| Jul | 91°F | 70°F | 3.55" |
| Aug | 89°F | 69°F | 4.55" |
| Sep | 84°F | 63°F | 3.69" |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 3.39" |
| Nov | 64°F | 40°F | 3.02" |
| Dec | 56°F | 35°F | 3.75" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gastonia
Gastonia has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
12.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Caromont Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gastonia
Gastonia's student/teacher ratio is 16.4:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 26.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Gastonia (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,276 students · in-state tuition $21,500 · 48% graduate · median earnings $53,850 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gastonia
Gastonia has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
13 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
14 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
36 mi awayCarl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
71 mi awayBlue Ridge Parkway
Parkway
76 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
90 mi awayGuilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gastonia
Gaston County Public Library (Regional Headquarters)
1555 E Garrison Blvd, Gastonia
Ferguson Branch Library
913 N Pryor St, Gastonia
Cities Near Gastonia
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gastonia?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gastonia FAQ
Is Gastonia, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Gastonia's median rent is $1,204/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $64,059/year. Median home value is $277,600.
Is Gastonia, North Carolina safe?⌄
Gastonia's violent crime rate was 889 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2898 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gastonia, North Carolina?⌄
Gastonia has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gastonia, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Gastonia is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,204/month and median household income is $64,059/year. The median home value is $277,600. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gastonia, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Gastonia is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from