County food-access profile · North Carolina
Gaston County, NC
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Gaston County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 33.2%
- low-access pop.
- 14
- food-desert tracts
- 16.1%
- on SNAP
- 235K
- residents (ACS 2024)
The food-access picture
33.2% of Gaston County residents live in a low-access area, and 14 of its 65 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.
- 31
- low-access tracts
- 25K
- food-desert residents
- 5.1%
- households, no vehicle
- 13.5%
- below poverty line
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).
USDA data puts Gaston County's low-access share at 33.2%, above the national share. 31 of the county's 65 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 68,398 people. 14 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 24,534 low-income residents.
How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts
The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.
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: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
All 65 census tracts in Gaston County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).
Gaston County vs. other North Carolina counties
Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in North Carolina
- Gaston
Gaston County, NC
33.2 % low-access
- Alamance
Alamance County, NC
25 % low-access
- Alexander
Alexander County, NC
20.4 % low-access
- Alleghany 4.3
Alleghany County, NC
4.3 % low-access
- Anson 8.4
Anson County, NC
8.4 % low-access
- Ashe
Ashe County, NC
22.2 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| 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% |
About 16.1% of Gaston County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).
What this means
- 33.2% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
- 16.1% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 15,034 households here.
- 5.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
- 14 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).
USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).
What the food-access data shows for Gaston County
above the national share
14 of Gaston County's 65 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 21.5% of all its tracts.
A further 17 tracts are low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 31.
An estimated 68,398 residents, roughly 33.2% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.
Of those, 24,534 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.
The remaining 34 tracts (52.3%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.
SNAP retailers 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 retailers.
Other Counties in North Carolina
Compare Gaston County vs Alamance County → · All North Carolina counties →
Food access nationally, North Carolina in context
Gaston County sits inside North Carolina (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Understand the Data
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Gaston County has low food access? ▼
What is the SNAP participation rate in Gaston County? ▼
What is the poverty rate in Gaston County? ▼
Is Gaston County a food desert? ▼
What share of Gaston County households lack a vehicle? ▼
Data Sources & Methodology
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →
Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).
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.