Gaston County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.4 | 237,242 people · 35th most distressed in North Carolina
American Default Research

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Gaston County, NC registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.4 — 809th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within North Carolina, it ranks 35th of 100 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Gaston County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.9 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Debt & Delinquency 71.8
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 78
Student Loan Delinquency 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Employment & Wages 55.3
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 27
Community Vulnerability 53.7
Uninsured Rate 70
Disability Rate 37
Income & Poverty 43.0
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 53

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Gaston County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Gaston County
Gaston County, NC 60.4 Elevated —
Cleveland County, NC 60.5 Elevated +0.2
York County, SC 46.0 Normal -14.4
Mecklenburg County, NC 44.0 Normal -16.4
Lincoln County, NC 36.9 Normal -23.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Gaston County
Taylor County, TX 60.4 Elevated +0.1
Columbiana County, OH 60.3 Elevated -0.1
McMinn County, TN 60.3 Elevated -0.1
Cleveland County, NC 60.5 Elevated +0.2
Pearl River County, MS 60.5 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Gaston County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Gaston County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Gaston County.

CITY OF GASTONIA
Gastonia
704-866-6752
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in North Carolina →

Find an Attorney

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

North Carolina State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-662-7407

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Gaston County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of North Carolina 1-866-219-5262
Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy 704-376-1600
NC Equal Access to Justice Commission
Duke Law School Community Enterprise Clinic

Self-Help Resources

NC Courts Self-Help Resources — Foreclosure Official NC court system resources for foreclosure proceedings and borrower rights
NCHFA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and HAF information

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in North Carolina →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Gaston County, North Carolina?

    Gaston County has a County Distress Index score of 60.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 809th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gaston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gaston County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Gaston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gaston County (60.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Cleveland County, NC (60.5); York County, SC (46.0); Mecklenburg County, NC (44.0).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Gaston County?

    Gaston County, North Carolina has a population of approximately 237,242 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.