Gaston County, North Carolina

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.7 | 237,242 people · 20th most distressed in North Carolina
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Gaston County, NC shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.7 — 358th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within North Carolina, it ranks 20th of 100 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gaston County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 80.8 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 80.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 73
Consumer Credit Distress 79.9
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 77
Housing Cost Burden 77.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 82
Structural Poverty 41.2
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Legal Distress 33.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gaston County
Gaston County, NC 70.7 Serious —
Cleveland County, NC 69.7 Serious -1.0
Mecklenburg County, NC 57.6 Elevated -13.1
York County, SC 56.5 Elevated -14.3
Lincoln County, NC 44.7 Normal -26.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gaston County
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious +0.1
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious -0.1
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious -0.2
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious +0.3
Lamar County, TX 71.1 Serious +0.4

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 70.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 358th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in North Carolina out of 100 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gaston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gaston County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 80.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Gaston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gaston County (70.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Cleveland County, NC (69.7); Mecklenburg County, NC (57.6); York County, SC (56.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Gaston County's score of 70.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Gaston County's CDI score?

    Gaston County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • 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.