County profile · North Carolina
Gaston County, NC market data
How Gaston County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 246,558
- +7.8% since 2020
- Households
- 93,576
- Median household income
- $67,478
- +27.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $266,000
- Jobs located here
- 82,464
- Highest market score
- 82
- Pest control, #14 of 699 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Gaston County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Gaston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Gaston County has an estimated 246,558 people and 93,576 households. Population estimates put the population change in Gaston County from 2020 to 2025 at +7.8%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Gaston County is $67,478, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 27.7%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Gaston County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 132, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (68).
Of the business types scored in Gaston County, pest control companies (82), insurance agencies (81) and roofing and gutter companies (79) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pest control companies, that ranks #14 of 699 scored counties.
Gaston County is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for house cleaning businesses (55% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Gaston County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Gaston County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pest control | 82 | #14 of 699 | 9 | 1.0 | $14.7M | 143 | 4 |
| Insurance agencies | 81 | #208 of 2,272 | 102 | 10.9 | $2.4M | 189 | 68 |
| Roofing and gutters | 79 | #61 of 1,177 | 21 | 2.2 | $12.2M | 144 | 11 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 79 | #120 of 2,063 | 61 | 6.5 | $5.5M | 148 | 25 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 76 | #61 of 887 | 18 | 1.9 | Index only | 194 | 8 |
| Property management | 75 | #84 of 910 | 14 | 1.5 | Index only | 175 | 23 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 73 | #209 of 1,889 | 63 | 6.7 | $5.3M | 128 | 33 |
| Gas stations | 72 | #348 of 2,358 | 112 | 12.0 | $2.5M | 106 | 97 |
| Chiropractors | 71 | #209 of 1,490 | 29 | 3.1 | $3.4M | 143 | 19 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 71 | #229 of 1,493 | 40 | 4.3 | $3.3M | 113 | 91 |
| Veterinarians | 71 | #270 of 1,485 | 32 | 3.4 | $2.5M | 91 | 20 |
| Electricians | 68 | #195 of 1,160 | 18 | 1.9 | $14.2M | 119 | 63 |
| Pet businesses | 68 | #366 of 2,200 | 101 | 10.8 | $783K | 89 | 44 |
| Physical therapy | 67 | #284 of 1,422 | 34 | 3.6 | $2.9M | 122 | 23 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 66 | #500 of 2,405 | 417 | 44.6 | $801K | 121 | 143 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 66 | #516 of 2,405 | 735 | 78.5 | $455K | 123 | 366 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 66 | #567 of 2,402 | 170 | 18.2 | $3.2M | 95 | 57 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 65 | #115 of 479 | 8 | 0.9 | $10.9M | 80 | 3 |
| Pet stores | 65 | #237 of 974 | 18 | 1.9 | $4.4M | 97 | 7 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 65 | #363 of 1,461 | 39 | 4.2 | $2M | 80 | 17 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 64 | #394 of 2,176 | 137 | 14.6 | Index only | 182 | 75 |
| Grocery stores | 64 | #577 of 2,070 | 61 | 6.5 | $8.9M | 96 | 34 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 63 | #344 of 1,302 | 27 | 2.9 | $3.7M | 118 | 16 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 63 | #399 of 1,771 | 81 | 8.7 | $1.6M | 97 | 146 |
| Real estate | 63 | #463 of 2,229 | 170 | 18.2 | Index only | 185 | 129 |
| Convenience stores | 63 | #662 of 2,261 | 93 | 9.9 | $5.9M | 74 | 23 |
| Home repair trades | 61 | #543 of 2,057 | 106 | 11.3 | $2.4M | 100 | 164 |
| Pizza | 60 | #639 of 2,090 | 63 | 6.7 | $5.3M | 104 | 195 |
| Nail salons | 59 | #435 of 1,328 | 51 | 5.5 | $1.6M | 94 | 9 |
| Dry cleaners | 58 | #184 of 507 | 12 | 1.3 | $14M | 89 | 5 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 58 | #495 of 1,327 | 31 | 3.3 | $2.8M | 92 | 22 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 58 | #757 of 2,087 | 123 | 13.1 | $1.4M | 108 | 47 |
| Child care and preschools | 57 | #640 of 1,611 | 48 | 5.1 | $813K | 81 | 50 |
| Laundromats | 56 | #317 of 785 | 12 | 1.3 | $14M | 112 | 8 |
| Gyms | 56 | #699 of 1,792 | 58 | 6.2 | $1.1M | 83 | 22 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 56 | #880 of 2,210 | 169 | 18.1 | $995K | 113 | 60 |
| Car washes and detailing | 55 | #596 of 1,451 | 35 | 3.7 | $2.5M | 99 | 19 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 55 | #948 of 2,222 | 114 | 12.2 | $2.9M | 96 | 195 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 53 | #334 of 777 | 18 | 1.9 | $3.5M | 85 | 22 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 53 | #759 of 1,707 | 67 | 7.2 | $3.8M | 80 | 90 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 51 | #808 of 1,656 | 56 | 6.0 | $1.8M | 100 | 134 |
| Spas and skin care | 51 | #856 of 1,769 | 101 | 10.8 | $789K | 90 | 14 |
| Auto repair and car care | 51 | #1,198 of 2,401 | 354 | 37.8 | $247K | 92 | 141 |
| Funeral homes | 50 | #701 of 1,472 | 25 | 2.7 | $491K | 72 | 20 |
| Tire shops | 49 | #815 of 1,530 | 51 | 5.5 | $1.7M | 69 | 17 |
| Auto repair shops | 49 | #1,247 of 2,378 | 222 | 23.7 | $394K | 89 | 99 |
| House cleaning | 47 | #489 of 847 | 32 | 3.4 | $4.1M | 64 | 51 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 47 | #1,064 of 1,886 | 98 | 10.5 | $1M | 103 | 70 |
| Hair salons | 47 | #1,350 of 2,339 | 253 | 27.0 | $315K | 73 | 33 |
| Barbershops | 46 | #819 of 1,356 | 56 | 6.0 | $1.4M | 75 | 6 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 45 | #1,429 of 2,394 | 599 | 64.0 | $166K | 109 | 266 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 43 | #1,410 of 2,088 | 133 | 14.2 | $469K | 71 | 39 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 43 | #1,600 of 2,385 | 465 | 49.7 | $171K | 81 | 63 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 42 | #902 of 1,334 | 57 | 6.1 | $1.1M | 54 | 17 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.3 | $33.1M | 135 | 4 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.1 | Index only | Too few | 4 |
Household spending in Gaston County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $87.5M | $935 | 98 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $282.6M | $3,020 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $334.1M | $3,570 | 88 |
| Groceries | $545.8M | $5,832 | 92 |
| Personal care products and services | $79.7M | $852 | 85 |
| Child care and other personal services | $39M | $417 | 72 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $62.4M | $667 | 68 |
| Medical and dental services | $99.4M | $1,063 | 82 |
| Pets | $79.1M | $845 | 93 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $168.1M | $1,796 | 87 |
| Vehicle insurance | $241.6M | $2,582 | 132 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $256.2M | $2,738 | 91 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $132M | $1,411 | 100 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.4B | $14,532 | 87 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Gaston County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 246,558+7.8% since 2020
- Households
- 93,576
- Median age
- 40.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 67%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 356 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 660
- Median household income
- $67,478+27.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $91,074
- Median home value
- $266,000
- Jobs located here
- 82,464
- Daytime population
- 195,265Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Gaston County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Gaston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
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- Mecklenburg County, NC1,154,681 people
- Cleveland County, NC100,991 people
- Catawba County, NC163,573 people
- Cabarrus County, NC236,133 people
- Iredell County, NC196,544 people
- Union County, NC250,958 people
- Burke County, NC87,795 people
Questions
How fast is Gaston County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Gaston County at 246,558 people in 2025, up 7.8% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 93,576 households. Median household income rose 27.7% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Gaston County, NC spend?
Households in Gaston County spend about $1.4B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $545.8M on groceries and $334.1M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Gaston County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 132, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (68).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Gaston County, NC?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Gaston County are for pest control companies (82), insurance agencies (81) and roofing and gutter companies (79). Gaston County ranks #14 of 699 scored counties for pest control companies.
How does Gaston County, NC compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Gaston County is $67,478 a year, 16% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 7.8% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $266,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Gaston County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for house cleaning businesses (55% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in Gaston County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Gaston County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Gaston County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Gaston County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.