Signals
Gastonia
Mooresville
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs60 · Top 41%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 40%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
36 · Bottom 31%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 33%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Gastonia | Mooresville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 82,884 | 52,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,059 | $89,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,174 | $44,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,542/sq mi | 1,914/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $277,600 | $390,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,204 | $1,626 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.2% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.87 | 16.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.9% | 62.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.9% | 64.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.4% | 49.7% | 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
Gastonia
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Mooresville
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Your best match
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Gastonia
65
Your Score
—
Area Score
Mooresville
71
Your Score
68
Area Score
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Full profiles: Gastonia, NC · Mooresville, NC · How this is calculated: methodology