Gaston County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Gaston County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 25% below the North Carolina median$208,491
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Median rent 6% below the North Carolina median More expensive than 78% of counties in North Carolina$1,152
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Gaston County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $208,491 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 9.1% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,152 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.6% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Gaston County is about 25% lower than in North Carolina. Rent is about 6% lower than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Gaston County, up about 9.1% and 5.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Gaston County rose about 57.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $730 to $1,152. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.1 yearly household incomes in Gaston County.
Buying the median-priced home in Gaston County costs roughly 15.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Gaston County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Gaston County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $208,491 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $67,093 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.1 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Gaston County rose about 105.6%, while median household income rose about 53.4% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Gaston County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 61.5% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 30.5% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 8.0% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Gaston County has a homeownership rate of 61.5%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 8.0%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Gaston County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.47 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1986 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Gaston County was built around 1986. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 5.5 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Gaston County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Gaston County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 234,809 residents against a local median of 163,556. Gaston County, NC's median home price, at $208,491, runs 24% above the $168,547 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $232,014 on median home price, so Gaston County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Gaston County, NC has the 3rd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaston County, NC | 234,809 | $208,491 #3/6 | $1,152 #3/6 | 66.9% #5/6 |
| Lincoln County, NC | 92,729 | $165,739 | $1,015 | 78.9% |
| York County, SC | 293,716 | $168,547 | $1,387 | 74.5% |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 1,154,528 | $336,691 | $1,627 | 55.1% |
| Catawba County, NC | 163,556 | $224,804 | $965 | 72.2% |
| Cleveland County, NC | 100,962 | $104,677 | $913 | 70.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Gaston County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Gaston County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Gaston County, North Carolina is $208,491, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Gaston County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Gaston County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $208,491. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Gaston County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Gaston County, North Carolina is $1,152 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Gaston County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Gaston County, North Carolina was $850 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Gaston County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Gaston County, North Carolina is about 15.1, meaning it would take roughly 15.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Gaston County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Gaston County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Gaston County, up about 9.1% and 5.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Gaston County, North Carolina?
61.5% of households in Gaston County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Gaston County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Gaston County, North Carolina is 8.0%, lower than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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