HomeNorth CarolinaGaston County
Gaston County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Gaston County, North Carolina has a population of 234,881 across 356 square miles, up 6.2 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Gaston County
How many people live in Gaston County
- Population234,881
- 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-equivalents301st
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 an affordable ownership market 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base6.17 percent
- Census 2020 base population227,944
- 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
The county has grown 6.17 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Gaston County
Where people moving to Gaston County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving7,700
- People arriving, from those returns13,989
- Adjusted gross income arriving$479.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$62,249
- Largest single originGaston County Non-migrants (81,623 households)
- Largest single destination (81,623 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston County Non-migrants | 81,623 | 165,048 | $5.86 bn |
| Mecklenburg County | 2,604 | 4,810 | $167.2 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,960 | 3,516 | $147.7 m |
| Other flows - South | 969 | 1,725 | $62.7 m |
| Cleveland County | 524 | 1,054 | $20.5 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 473 | 841 | $37.9 m |
| Lincoln County | 411 | 783 | $20.7 m |
| York County | 372 | 686 | $19.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Gaston County Non-migrants, 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 the Gaston County economy runs on
- 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 North Carolina counties17th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents402nd
- 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
Who employs people in Gaston County
- Covered employment, annual average79,486
- Establishments reporting5,635
- Average annual pay$54,211
- Average weekly wage$1,043
- Sector 31-33, employment14,299
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$64,660
- Sector 62, employment13,480
- Sector 62, average annual pay$61,745
- Sector 44-45, employment10,316
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$35,992
- Sector 72, employment8,104
- Sector 72, average annual pay$22,450
- Sector 23, employment5,136
- Sector 56, employment4,080
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 31-33 | 14,299 | 316 | $64,660 |
| Sector 62 | 13,480 | 608 | $61,745 |
| Sector 44-45 | 10,316 | 658 | $35,992 |
| Sector 72 | 8,104 | 471 | $22,450 |
| Sector 23 | 5,136 | 645 | $69,223 |
| Sector 56 | 4,080 | 417 | $44,876 |
| Sector 42 | 2,428 | 291 | $72,316 |
| Sector 54 | 1,908 | 602 | $80,442 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 14,299 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Gaston County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Gaston County
What is being built in Gaston County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20242,069
- Declared construction value permitted$759.5 m
- Single family units authorised1,923
- Multifamily units authorised146
- Multifamily share of units7.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$367,086
- Units authorised per 1,000 households22.1
Multifamily is 7.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Gaston County
How much SBA lending happens in Gaston County
- 7(a) approvals recorded168
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$120.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$715,582
- Median 7(a) approval$303,000
- 10th percentile approval$49,500
- 90th percentile approval$1,954,100
- 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$455,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval10.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.9
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (26)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals80.0 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$148.5 m
The average approval of $715,582 sits well above the median of $303,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually 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
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.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Gaston County
Which parts of Gaston County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending12
- Gastonia, approvals76
- BELMONT, approvals33
- MOUNT HOLLY, approvals18
- STANLEY, approvals12
- DALLAS, approvals10
- CRAMERTON, approvals6
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Gastonia | 76 | $68,675,500 |
| BELMONT | 33 | $15,578,000 |
| MOUNT HOLLY | 18 | $11,929,600 |
| STANLEY | 12 | $4,048,000 |
| DALLAS | 10 | $6,098,000 |
| CRAMERTON | 6 | $2,297,000 |
| CHERRYVILLE | 4 | $2,556,300 |
| LOWELL | 3 | $3,990,000 |
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 big 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 boundary3
- 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
What hazards affect Gaston County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities 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
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 9, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population234,881
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has grown 6.17 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Gaston County?
Average annual pay is $54,211, or $1,043 a week, across 79,486 covered jobs. 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 totalling $120.2 m since FY2020, across 52 lenders, with a median approval of $303,000, plus 42 504 approvals worth $28.3 m. 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.
What is being built in Gaston County?
2,069 housing units were authorised 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 Gaston County Non-migrants, with 81,623 households. Arriving households report an average income of $62,249 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.