Signature · 207 SNAP-authorized stores
Gaston County, NC
Gaston County sits in the upper national band on low-access (33.2%, +11.1 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 33.2%
- low-access pop.
- 14
- food-desert tracts
- 16.1%
- on SNAP
- 235K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Gaston County, NC
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 33.2% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +11.1 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 14 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.1% SNAP
- VEH-OK 5.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 22% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Carteret County (+ 0.0 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Gaston County sits in the upper national band (33.2%, #723 of 3,079) with 14 LILA tracts.
- #723
- national by low-access %
- #11
- in NC
- 31
- low-access tracts
- 25K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 207 SNAP-authorized stores .
How Gaston County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Gaston County's 33.2% low-access share is elevated, higher than 77% of them and ranked #728 most-affected nationwide.
Gaston County's elevated USDA tier split
65 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 14 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Gaston County has 50 urban and 15 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Gaston County vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in North Carolina, not a full county-board reprint
- Hyde
Hyde 60.5%
60.5 % low-access
- Craven
Craven 34.4%
34.4 % low-access
- Gaston
Gaston 33.2%
33.2 % low-access
- Carteret
Carteret 33.2%
33.2 % low-access
- Durham
Durham 33%
33 % low-access
- Cabarrus
Cabarrus 31.7%
31.7 % low-access
- Greene 0.1
Greene 0.1%
0.1 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 65 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 206,086 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 31 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 14 |
| Low-Access Population | 68,398 |
| Low-Access Share | 33.2%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 24,534 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 234,881 |
| Median Household Income | $67,478 |
| Poverty Rate | 13.5%near the national average |
| SNAP Households | 15,034 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.1%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 5.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 1.3% |
Thick SNAP store book in Gaston County
Gaston County has 207 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 98 locations (47% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.
Convenience Store · 98
- 7-eleven #41144a 41144a, dallas
- 7-eleven #41514a 41514a, gastonia
- 7-eleven #38865a 38865a, gastonia
- 7-eleven #38879a 38879a, gastonia
- 7-eleven #41139a 41139a, gastonia
- a & p food mart, gastonia
- amiyaexpress 2 inc., bessemer city
- c mart, belmont
- circle k stores inc. 2709100, stanley
- clemmer's convenience store, gastonia
- circle a food store, mount holly
- circle k 1496, gastonia
- circle k 2723934, gastonia
- circle k 2723957, belmont
- circle k 2723966, gastonia
- circle k 2723972, gastonia
- circle k 2723973, gastonia
- circle k 2723974, gastonia
- circle k 8379, belmont
- corner grocery, lowell
- cornerstone grocery, gastonia
- country corner, dallas
- dallas mini mart, dallas
- delview food mart, cherryville
- edgewood mini mart, bessemer city
- fastop markets 305, gastonia
- flowers bakery outlet 487, bessemer city
- fuel n shop, gastonia
- gastonia e & p market place, gastonia
- gates food mart, gastonia
- gyamfi's african & caribbean market, llc, gastonia
- highland mini mart, gastonia
- ingco express, gastonia
- jacobs food mart, gastonia
- king's way 21, dallas
- king's way mini mart 09, gastonia
- king's way mini mart 11, gastonia
- kings food mart #2, gastonia
- kingsway 15, gastonia
- kingsway 20, gastonia
- kingsway mini mart 05, bessemer city
- la bodega food mart, gastonia
- la tiendita tienda latina, mount holly
- lake wylie mini market, gastonia
- li'l market, gastonia
- lucia food mart, stanley
- mike's, gastonia
- main street market, stanley
- metcalfs grocery, bessemer city
- mi chaparrita 1, belmont
- mic's mini market inc, gastonia
- murphy usa 7464, cherryville
- murphy usa 7855, gastonia
- omni mart 1, gastonia
- omni mart 33, gastonia
- on the ways, cherryville
- ozark express, gastonia
- pit stop xpress, gastonia
- quality service center #1, lowell
- quiktrip 1042, gastonia
- quiktrip 1043, gastonia
- quiktrip 1045, gastonia
- raceway 8, gastonia
- rapid corner, gastonia
- s & k express, gastonia
- s k food mart 2, mount holly
- s&d food mart, gastonia
- s'mart, gastonia
- save mart, gastonia
- shree llc, gastonia
- silverexpress, bessemer city
- solo grocery mart, gastonia
- soo's market, gastonia
- southern convience, gastonia
- southpoint market and grill, belmont
- speedway 7977, gastonia
- speedway 7991, gastonia
- speedway 7992, gastonia
- spencer mountain grocery, gastonia
- stanley express, stanley
- steve's superette llc, dallas
- stop & go #6, bessemer city
- the twins mart, gastonia
- the i market 746, dallas
- tobacco house #1, cherryville
- tobacco house 2, lowell
- triple e express & grill, gastonia
- vape & brew, gastonia
- will's food store 5, gastonia
- westview grocery 3 llc, mount holly
- wilkmart, belmont
- will's 2, gastonia
- will's food store 6, mount holly
- wills food store 1, mount holly
- wills food stores 8, gastonia
- wills iii, dallas
- xpress market 1, mount holly
- york express, gastonia
Combination Grocery/Other · 61
- big lots 3196, gastonia
- cvs pharmacy 2233, belmont
- cvs pharmacy 3514, stanley
- cvs pharmacy 3823, gastonia
- cvs pharmacy 3837, gastonia
- cvs pharmacy 3899, bessemer city
- cvs pharmacy 4490, gastonia
- cvs pharmacy 5565, gastonia
- cvs pharmacy 7578, gastonia
- dollar general 1062, dallas
- dollar general 1765, gastonia
- dollar general 18415, gastonia
- dollar general 19515, gastonia
- dollar general 3795, mount holly
- dollar general 3953, cherryville
- dollar general 4650, cramerton
- dollar general 4723, gastonia
- dollar general 7419, dallas
- dollar general 8915, bessemer city
- dollar general 9384, gastonia
- dollar tree 0138, gastonia
- dollartree 10305, cherryville
- dollartree 11024, gastonia
- dollartree 8655, gastonia
- dollar general 11519, gastonia
- dollar general 12221, gastonia
- dollar general 12752, gastonia
- dollar general 12771, gastonia
- dollar general 13855, lowell
- dollar general 21479, gastonia
- dollar general 24697, gastonia
- dollar general 30459, dallas
- dollar general 31049, belmont
- dollar general 31629, gastonia
- dollar general 31894, stanley
- dollar general store 16492, cherryville
- dollar general store 16652, bessemer city
- dollar tree 2363, belmont
- dollar tree 5020, gastonia
- dollar tree 6019, gastonia
- dollar tree 6800, dallas
- dollar tree 6863, cherryville
- dollar tree 7247, stanley
- family dollar store 451, stanley
- family dollar 11025, dallas
- family dollar 143, gastonia
- family dollar 15, gastonia
- family dollar 6207, gastonia
- family dollar 7703, gastonia
- family dollar 7835, gastonia
- family dollar store 8451, gastonia
- jims something for everyone, mount holly
- spunky d's fresh produce, gastonia
- tyson bros inc, gastonia
- viet t-mart asian market llc, gastonia
- walgreen 04843, belmont
- walgreens 5877, gastonia
- walgreens 6742, gastonia
- walgreens 07859, gastonia
- walgreens 10608, dallas
- walgreens 11459, mount holly
Supermarket · 21
- aldi 66050, gastonia
- aldi 66075, gastonia
- aldi 78063 78063, belmont
- food lion 1065, gastonia
- food lion 1415, mount holly
- food lion 244, gastonia
- food lion 263, dallas
- food lion 2632, gastonia
- food lion 364, gastonia
- food lion 480, gastonia
- food lion 521, cherryville
- food lion 573, cramerton
- food lion 797, belmont
- food lion 2665, stanley
- food lion 2669, gastonia
- food lion 2817, gastonia
- ingles markets 146, dallas
- ingles markets 46, bessemer city
- lazo's fresh market, gastonia
- publix 1521, gastonia
- wow supermarket 4, gastonia
Super Store · 11
- harris teeter 281, gastonia
- harris teeter 386, belmont
- lidl 1040, gastonia
- sam's club 6414, gastonia
- target t-2565, gastonia
- walmart 1385, gastonia
- walmart neighborhood market 7004, dallas
- walmart neighborhood market 7062, gastonia
- walmart supercenter 5085, belmont
- walmart supercenter 4594, cherryville
- walmart supercenter 5298, gastonia
Medium Grocery Store · 8
- b & b variety & grocery, bessemer city
- carniceria don leo, gastonia
- gastonia caribbean market, gastonia
- king's way mini mart 04, gastonia
- king's way mini mart 06, gastonia
- king's way mini mart 10, gastonia
- las americas 3, gastonia
- sv afghan halal market, belmont
Small Grocery Store · 5
- el triunfo market llc, gastonia
- la favorita 1, bessemer city
- la media luna market, gastonia
- la reina wholesalers, gastonia
- organic marketplace, gastonia
Farmers' Market · 2
- gastonia farmers market, gastonia
- mount holly farmer's market, mount holly
Seafood Specialty · 1
- saltwater markets 2, gastonia
Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator (currently authorized stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in North Carolina
One of 99 counties in North Carolina, 6 are shown here.
Compare Gaston County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Counties near Gaston County's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Gaston County, both outside North Carolina so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside NC (33.2% here).
- Nueces County, TX · 33.2% low-access
- Nueces County, TX · 33.2% low-access
- Christian County, KY · 33.2% low-access
- Christian County, KY · 33.2% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside NC (16.1% here).
- Comanche County, OK · 16.1% SNAP
- Comanche County, OK · 16.1% SNAP
- Multnomah County, OR · 16.1% SNAP
- Multnomah County, OR · 16.1% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Gaston County inside a higher low-access state context
Gaston County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Gaston County, NC are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 37071. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.