The City of Gastonia and Gaston County are boasting significantly larger populations, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Gastonia now houses over 85,000 residents, marking a first in the city's history, while Gaston County's numbers have increased to more than 240,000. These milestones reflect a continuous upsurge in the area's demography, as reported by a government announcement.
Specifically, the population of Gastonia reached 85,535 as of July 1, 2024, which is to sharply grow by more than 5,000 since 2020 began. Gaston County experienced a similar rise, going from just under 228,000 at the 2020 Census to an estimated 242,010 in mid-2024. This nearly identical growth rate, as the City of Gastonia recorded a 1.54% increase, while the entire county expanded by 1.62%, demonstrates a clear trend towards a more populous region.
In the bigger picture of the North Carolina state, Gaston County maintains its position among the top 12 populous regions, and Gastonia emerges as the 13th largest city. Within the Charlotte Metropolitan area, it stands as the third-largest city, trailing only Charlotte and Concord. These facts, highlighted in the recent data release, underline the steady growth trajectory of the region.
However, it's worth noting that the growth has somewhat slowed when compared to earlier numbers from the decade. The state witnessed varying trends, with Charlotte being the only city among the 12 larger than Gastonia to witness an increase greater than 2 percent. Meanwhile, Asheville and Fayetteville were actually starting to see their populations decline. This variance in growth rates across cities demonstrates the complexity of urban and regional development patterns throughout the state.
