Gaston County, North Carolina
Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943. The county seat is Gastonia. Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911.
Gaston County | |
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Flag Seal Logo | |
| Motto: "Local Strengths. Global Success." | |
Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina | |
North Carolina's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 35.29°N 81.18°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Named for | William Gaston |
| Seat | Gastonia |
| Largest community | Gastonia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 363.68 sq mi (941.9 km2) |
| • Land | 355.75 sq mi (921.4 km2) |
| • Water | 7.93 sq mi (20.5 km2) 2.18% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 227,943 |
| • Estimate (2023) | 237,242 |
| • Density | 640.74/sq mi (247.39/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 10th, 14th |
| Website | www |
Gaston County is included in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 2,805,115 in 2023. The county is located in the southern Piedmont region.
Of North Carolina's 100 counties, Gaston County ranks 74th in size, consisting of approximately 364 square miles (940 km2), and is tenth in population. The county has fifteen incorporated towns. In addition to fifteen incorporated towns and cities, there are several unincorporated communities such as Hardin, Lucia, Crowders Mountain, Sunnyside, Alexis, Tryon, and North Belmont.