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Gaston, NC
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
912
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
43
years ∙ half population younger than 43, half older
Diversity Index
52.5%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Gaston is a town within Northampton County, North Carolina, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC36.495229° N, 77.646416° W
DMS36° 29′ 42.82″ N, 77° 38′ 47.10″ W
Population Density & area
539.6/sq mi
(208.2/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
46.2%
male
Male
46.2%
Female
53.8%
males per 100 females
Gaston
85.7
Northampton County
93.9
North Carolina
95.6
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Gaston
0%
Northampton County
1.3%
North Carolina
9.1%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
43
years ∙ half population younger than 43, half older
Dependency ratio
75
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Gaston
75
Northampton County
89.8
North Carolina
63.8
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 24.5% | 17.7% | 21.8% |
| Working age (18-64) | 57.1% | 52.7% | 61% |
| Senior (65+) | 18.4% | 29.6% | 17.2% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 75 | 89.8 | 63.8 |
| Child dependency ratio | 42.8 | 33.6 | 35.6 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 32.2 | 56.2 | 28.2 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
52.5%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Gaston
52.5%
Northampton County
55%
North Carolina
58.4%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Gaston population
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.4% | 2.4% | 11.3% |
| Mexican | 0.5% | 1.2% | 5.6% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| Cuban | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 0% | 0.5% | 4.1% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 98.6% | 97.6% | 88.7% |
| One race | 96.5% | 94.1% | 84.6% |
| White | 36.5% | 39% | 60% |
| Black or African American | 58.4% | 54.4% | 20% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 0% | 3.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race | 1% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 2.1% | 3.5% | 4.1% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
64.2%
family
Family
64.2%
Non family
35.8%
% family households
Gaston
64.2%
Northampton County
58.7%
North Carolina
64.3%
Average household size
2.24
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Gaston population
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 394 | 7,857 | 4,282,345 |
| Average houshold size | 2.24 | 2.1 | 2.44 |
| Family households | 253 | 4,611 | 2,753,022 |
| Average family size | 2.74 | 2.72 | 3.03 |
| Married couple family | 111 | 2,901 | 2,021,951 |
| Other families | 142 | 1,710 | 731,071 |
| Male householder | 38 | 428 | 195,051 |
| Female householder | 104 | 1,282 | 536,020 |
| Non-family households | 141 | 3,246 | 1,529,323 |
| One-person households | 127 | 3,062 | 1,258,822 |
| Male householder | 73 | 1,249 | 544,050 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 23 | 638 | 160,332 |
| Female householder | 54 | 1,813 | 714,772 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 36 | 1,158 | 342,051 |
| Other living arrangements | 14 | 184 | 270,501 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
480
housing units
Gaston
480
Northampton County
10,641
North Carolina
4,895,668
Occupancy status
82.1%
occupied
Occupied
82.1%
Vacant
17.9%
vacancy rate
Gaston
17.9%
Northampton County
26.2%
North Carolina
12.5%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
58.8%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1982
Half of houses were built before 1982, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.2 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| 1–3 rooms | 1.9% | 3.6% | 11.4% |
| 4–6 rooms | 83.3% | 66.1% | 54.9% |
| 7+ rooms | 14.8% | 30.3% | 33.6% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 0% | 0.2% | 1.9% |
| 1 bedroom | 2.5% | 2.9% | 7.1% |
| 2 bedrooms | 36.7% | 25.4% | 23.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 52.1% | 54.4% | 46.2% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 8.8% | 17.1% | 21% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1982 | 1983 | 1992 |
| Total housing units | 480 | 10,641 | 4,895,668 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
58.9%
owners
Renter-occupied
41.1%
Owner-occupied
58.9%
homeownership rate
Gaston
58.9%
Northampton County
74.6%
North Carolina
66.6%
Average household size
2.03
Owner-occupied
2.55
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Gaston
2.03
Northampton County
2.07
North Carolina
2.54
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 394 | 7,857 | 4,282,345 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 19.8% | 14.8% | 26.2% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 29.2% | 30.5% | 39.2% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 24.1% | 22.3% | 16.2% |
| 1999 or earlier | 26.9% | 32.4% | 18.5% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 100% | 98.3% | 97.8% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 0% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| 1.51 or more | 0% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 10.2% | 7% | 5.3% |
| 1 vehicle | 39.6% | 30.7% | 31.4% |
| 2 vehicles | 30.5% | 31.5% | 38% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 19.8% | 30.8% | 25.2% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 17.8% | 27.4% | 30.5% |
| Electricity | 76.6% | 66.6% | 65.5% |
| Solar | 0.5% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 3.6% | 3.8% | 2% |
| All other fuels | 1.5% | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| No fuel used | 0% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0.5% | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| No telephone service available | 0% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$77,200
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
16.6%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $77,200 | $114,500 | $288,900 |
| Under $100,000 | 62.1% | 45% | 12.7% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 21.1% | 28.2% | 18.9% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 6.9% | 10.9% | 20.5% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 9.9% | 5.9% | 28.3% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 0% | 6.9% | 16.3% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 3.1% | 3.3% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 41.4% | 44.9% | 61.3% |
| Without a mortgage | 58.6% | 55.1% | 38.7% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $894 | $1,235 | $1,631 |
| Without a mortgage | $444 | $489 | $490 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $818 | $758 | $1,228 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
13.1%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Gaston
13.1%
Northampton County
17.9%
North Carolina
35.7%
Adults without a high school diploma
16.7%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Gaston
16.7%
Northampton County
14.9%
North Carolina
9.9%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
219
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
6.9%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 219 | 3,062 | 2,530,102 |
| Nursery / preschool | 0% | 7.4% | 5.3% |
| K–12 | 84.5% | 68.5% | 67.4% |
| Kindergarten | 0% | 6.4% | 4.9% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 21% | 23% | 20% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 24.2% | 19.7% | 21% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 39.3% | 19.5% | 21.5% |
| College or graduate school | 15.5% | 24.1% | 27.3% |
| College, undergraduate | 15.5% | 18.3% | 21.7% |
| Graduate, professional school | 0% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 6.9% | 18.5% | 39.3% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 82.6% | 80% | 82.3% |
| Private school | 17.4% | 20% | 17.7% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
602
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 602 | 12,846 | 7,380,330 |
| Less than 9th grade | 5.6% | 5% | 3.9% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 11.1% | 9.9% | 6% |
| High school diploma or GED | 42.4% | 33.6% | 24.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 22.8% | 21.3% | 19.6% |
| Associate's degree | 5% | 12.3% | 10.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 17.9% | 35.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 7.5% | 11% | 22.2% |
| Graduate or professional | 5.6% | 6.9% | 13.5% |
| High School or higher | 83.2% | 85.1% | 90.1% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$37,107
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
6.3%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Gaston | Northampton County | North Carolina | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $37,107 | $40,323 | $49,275 |
| Less than high school graduate | $— | $27,287 | $31,234 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $35,813 | $35,205 | $37,346 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $— | $37,589 | $43,525 |
| Bachelor's degree | $— | $56,625 | $64,395 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $173,261 | $59,904 | $80,986 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 51.5% | 44.1% | 26.6% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 10.6% | 13.6% | 15.2% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 15% | 15.8% | 10% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.3% | 8.5% | 4.2% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
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