Gaston County, North Carolina
Among the top 22% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
- top 3% for airport distance
- bottom 5% for school quality
Gaston County is a county in North Carolina with about 229,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, park & nature access, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on sunny days and school quality.
Official websitegastongov.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cold
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warm
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60%48%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in3.4 in
muggy 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$63k56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$54kbetter than 13% of US counties
Home Value$207k70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 39% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.85%better than 49% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.63%better than 46% of US counties
Unemployment4.9%better than 45% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation44.6 in54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.0 inbetter than 72% of US counties
Sunny Days187 daysbetter than 9% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 35% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk84.9better than 15% of US counties
School Quality33.1better than 5% of US counties
Violent Crime1306/100kbetter than 21% of US counties
Property Crime2279/100kbetter than 10% of US counties
Community
Population228,97291st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.935th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4471st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9413th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2838th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.5%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)17.0%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.0%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.6%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.8%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 34% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 65% of US counties
Airport Distance16 mibetter than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.8%better than 66% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.49better than 58% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 73% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Gaston County an affordable place to live?
- Gaston County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $54k, better than 13% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Gaston County?
- The median home value in Gaston County is $207k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Gaston County?
- Median household income in Gaston County is $63k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Gaston County?
- Median gross rent in Gaston County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Gaston County safe?
- Gaston County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1306/100k (better than 21%). Property crime is 2279/100k.
- What is the weather like in Gaston County?
- Gaston County averages 80°F in July and 42°F in January, with 44.6 in of annual precipitation and about 187 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Gaston County?
- Public-school quality in Gaston County is below average, scoring better than 5% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Gaston County?
- The average one-way commute in Gaston County is 27 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)