HomeNorth CarolinaGaston County
Gaston County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Gaston County, North Carolina had an estimated 242,010 residents on July 1, 2024, up 6.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 227,944, across 356 square miles. County output reached $11.26 bn in 2024, 4,594 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 168 7(a) approvals worth $120.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Gaston County
How many people live in Gaston County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024234,881
- Households93,576
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$67,478
- Median age39.1
- Median gross rent$1,153 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$266,000
- Home value to household income3.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over163,523
- Population under 1852,696
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over38,767
- Share 65 and over16.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64143,418
- Civilian labor force117,686
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.6 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties11th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included301st of 3,222
Gaston County is the 11th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.9 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.4 percent against 16.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Gaston County
Is Gaston County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024242,010
- Census 2020 base population227,944
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.17 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20243,857
- Births, 20242,798
- Deaths, 20242,746
- Natural change, 202452
- Net domestic migration, 20242,752
- Net international migration, 20241,052
- Total net migration, 20243,804
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202411,675
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents387th of 3,144
The county has grown 6.17 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Gaston County
Where are people moving to Gaston County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving7,700
- People arriving, from those returns13,989
- Tax returns filed by households leaving6,157
- Net household movement1,543
- Adjusted gross income arriving$479.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$130.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$62,249
- Average income of a leaving household$56,653
- Largest single originMecklenburg County (2,604 households)
- Largest single destinationMecklenburg County (1,346 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 2,604 | 4,810 | $167.2 m |
| Cleveland County | 524 | 1,054 | $20.5 m |
| Lincoln County | 411 | 783 | $20.7 m |
| York County | 372 | 686 | $19.6 m |
| Cabarrus County | 153 | 253 | $8.2 m |
| Union County | 115 | 197 | $8.2 m |
| Catawba County | 103 | 179 | $4.8 m |
| Iredell County | 81 | 140 | $4.8 m |
Households arriving report $5,596 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Mecklenburg County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Gaston County
What is the Gaston County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$11.26 bn
- County GDP, 2023$10.55 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.8 percent
- GDP change over five years41.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes17th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes402nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$47,958
Output grew 6.8 percent in the latest year and 41.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Gaston County
Employment by industry in Gaston County
- Covered employment, annual average79,486
- Establishments reporting5,635
- Average annual pay$54,211
- Average weekly wage$1,043
- Manufacturing, employment14,299
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$64,660
- Health care and social assistance, employment13,480
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,745
- Retail trade, employment10,316
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,992
- Accommodation and food services, employment8,104
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,450
- Construction, employment5,136
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment4,080
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 14,299 | 316 | $64,660 |
| Health care and social assistance | 13,480 | 608 | $61,745 |
| Retail trade | 10,316 | 658 | $35,992 |
| Accommodation and food services | 8,104 | 471 | $22,450 |
| Construction | 5,136 | 645 | $69,223 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,080 | 417 | $44,876 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,428 | 291 | $72,316 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,908 | 602 | $80,442 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 14,299 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Gaston County
How many businesses are in Gaston County?
- Establishments, all industries4,594
- Employment at those establishments72,268
- Annual payroll$3.57 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Gaston County
Building permits in Gaston County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,069
- Declared construction value permitted$759.5 m
- Single family units authorized1,923
- Multifamily units authorized146
- Multifamily share of units7.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$367,086
- Units authorized per 1,000 households22.1
Single-family homes are 92.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Gaston County
SBA loans in Gaston County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded168
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$120.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$715,582
- Median 7(a) approval$301,500
- 10th percentile approval$49,850
- 90th percentile approval$1,888,230
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,885
- Jobs per approval11.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active52
- Distinct industries receiving approvals93
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms45
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter111
- Franchise loans27
- Franchise share of approvals16.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (8)
- Most active lenderWells Fargo Bank National Association (14)
- 504 approvals recorded42
- 504 gross approval dollars$28.3 m
- Average 504 approval$673,524
- Median 504 approval$448,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval10.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.9
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (26)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$148.5 m
The average approval of $715,582 sits well above the median of $301,500, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 26.8 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Gaston County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Gaston County
Do SBA loans in Gaston County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded31
- Paid in full30
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans3.2 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure109
- Status: Paid in full30
- Status: Cancelled17
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed11
Of the 31 loans that have reached a final outcome, 3.2 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Gaston County
SBA lending by place in Gaston County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending10
- Gastonia, approvals76
- Belmont, approvals33
- Mount Holly, approvals20
- Stanley, approvals12
- Dallas, approvals10
- Cramerton, approvals6
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gastonia | 76 | $68,675,500 |
| Belmont | 33 | $15,578,000 |
| Mount Holly | 20 | $12,189,600 |
| Stanley | 12 | $4,048,000 |
| Dallas | 10 | $6,098,000 |
| Cramerton | 6 | $2,297,000 |
| Cherryville | 4 | $2,556,300 |
| Bessemer City | 3 | $4,635,300 |
| 2 other borrower cities | 4 | $4,140,000 |
Gastonia accounts for 76 approvals against 33 in Belmont. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Gaston County
How large is Gaston County?
- Land area356 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties73rd of 100
- Width, east to west28.3 mi
- Height, north to south18.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land660
- Establishments per square mile12.90
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Gaston County
Flood risk in Gaston County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Gaston County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370099
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 9
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP15
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 9
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Gaston County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Gaston County (community 370099), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 9, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Gaston County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Gaston County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Gaston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024234,881
- Households93,576
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$67,478
- Median age39.1
Common questions
Gaston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Gaston County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 242,010 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 234,881, in 93,576 households, ranking 11th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Gaston County's population growing?
The population has grown 6.17 percent since the 2020 census base of 227,944, to 242,010 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 2,798 births against 2,746 deaths, with net migration of 3,804. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Gaston County?
$67,478. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $266,000, which is 3.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,153 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Gaston County?
4,594 establishments, employing 72,268 people with an annual payroll of $3.57 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Gaston County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 14,299 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 79,486 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,211, or $1,043 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Gaston County?
168 7(a) approvals totaling $120.2 m since FY2020, across 52 lenders, with a median approval of $301,500, plus 42 504 approvals worth $28.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Gaston County get paid back?
Of the 31 loans that have reached a final outcome, 30 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 3.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Gaston County?
2,069 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $759.5 m. Multifamily was 7.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Gaston County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Gaston County come from?
The largest single origin is Mecklenburg County, with 2,604 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,249 against $56,653 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Gaston County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Gaston County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Gaston County
Cities and places in Gaston.
17 Census places lie wholly or partly in Gaston County. All 17 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastonia | city | 82,884 | 76 | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Holly | city | 18,208 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Belmont | city | 15,546 | 33 | Wholly in this county |
| Kings Mountain | city | 12,039 | None recorded | 16.2 percent here, 83.8 percent Cleveland County |
| Cherryville | city | 6,226 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Dallas | town | 6,104 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Bessemer City | city | 5,580 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Cramerton | town | 5,450 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Ranlo | town | 4,617 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stanley | town | 4,069 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Lowell | city | 3,768 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Springdale | CDP | 1,075 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| McAdenville | town | 1,010 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alexis | CDP | 635 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| High Shoals | city | 534 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dellview | town | 26 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Spencer Mountain | town | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 168 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Gaston County, the largest being Wake Forest (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.