Signals
Lincolnton
Gastonia
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 48%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Climate
72 · Top 39%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 20%
vs75 · Bottom 40%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs36 · Bottom 31%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 18%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Lincolnton | Gastonia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,783 | 82,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,320 | $64,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,456 | $35,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,314/sq mi | 1,542/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $248,700 | $277,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $965 | $1,204 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.2% | 54.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.7% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.3" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.39 | 15.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.4% | 35.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.3% | 37.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.5% | 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
Lincolnton
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Gastonia
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Your best match
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Lincolnton
62
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—
Area Score
Gastonia
65
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Lincolnton, NC · Gastonia, NC · How this is calculated: methodology