Gates County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Gates County, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,369 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 30.0 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.37% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 48.6 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,190 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Gates County declined by 10.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,369 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Gates County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 23.7% of residents. That is 3.1 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,940 18.7% -3.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,789 17.3% -4.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,456 23.7% +3.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,277 22.0% +5.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.7% of the people living in Gates County and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 48.3% North Carolina 48.9%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Gates County
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Economy
Gates County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,008 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.76% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Gates County is about 12% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $142,465 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,142 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.9% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Gates County is about 10.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,142 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Gates County spend about 72 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 299 hours, about 12.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 35.9 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 71.8 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 299 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $9,279 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,957 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 626 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Carolina:
Macon County (17.2 min), Watauga County (17.2 min), Dare County (17.4 min).
Slowest:
Gates County (35.9 min), Currituck County (33.9 min), Tyrrell County (33.6 min).
The average commute time in Gates County is 36 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Gates County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.5% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.5), Wake County (0.4), Durham County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hyde County (0.2), Greene County (0.2), Tyrrell County (0.2).
Health
Gates County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.6 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.9% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.2% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.8), Wake County (0.8), Watauga County (0.8).
Lowest:
Robeson County (0.8), Lenoir County (0.8), Halifax County (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Gates County, North Carolina.
How big is Gates County, North Carolina by population?
About 10,369 people live in Gates County, North Carolina, in 4,190 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 48.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
How densely populated is Gates County, North Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Gates County, North Carolina has 30 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 35% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Gates County, North Carolina an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.2 times the median household income ($142,465 against $64,008), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,142 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in Gates County, North Carolina?
8.5% of adults in Gates County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 12), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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