Signals
Davidson
Gastonia
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 41%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs75 · Bottom 40%
Schools
85 · Top 7%
vs36 · Bottom 31%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 38%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Davidson | Gastonia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,660 | 82,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $166,556 | $64,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,576 | $35,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,410/sq mi | 1,542/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $687,700 | $277,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,652 | $1,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.0% | 54.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.8% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.71 | 15.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 71.5% | 35.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 77.1% | 37.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 11.3% | 92.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Davidson
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Gastonia
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: Davidson, NC · Gastonia, NC · How this is calculated: methodology