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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Gastonia, NC

Population: 80,615 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
41/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$14,726
Total Revenue
$973.9M
Total Debt
$66.5M

Spending Breakdown

Other
35.1%$416.3M
Housing & Community Development
19.8%$234.5M
Utilities
19.7%$234.4M
Parks & Recreation
7.4%$88.1M
Hospitals
6.4%$76.2M
Interest on Debt
5.0%$59.8M
Public Welfare
3.5%$41.0M
Fire Protection
2.9%$33.9M
Education
0.2%$3.0M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.1%$11.2M
Income Tax
4.1%$39.7M
Intergovernmental
49.9%$485.9M
Charges & Fees
24.0%$234.1M
Other
28.3%$276.0M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$421/person
Parks & Recreation$1,093/person
Education$37/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)19/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)85/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)31/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$66.5M
Long-Term Debt$29.5M
Debt Per Capita$825
Cash & Securities$7.1M

Compare Cities

See how Gastonia stacks up against another city.

vs Charlotte, NCvs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Pop. 875K

C
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854

Raleigh, NC

Pop. 466K

B
Total Spending
$6.5B
Per Capita
$13,911

Greensboro, NC

Pop. 297K

C
Total Spending
$5.8B
Per Capita
$19,352

Durham, NC

Pop. 284K

B
Total Spending
$8.9B
Per Capita
$31,264

Compare Gastonia With

Charlotte, NC

Spending: $15,854/person · Grade: C

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Gastonia, NC spends $14,726 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.2B for a population of 80,615. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100).

Gastonia, NC has total expenditures of $1.2B and total revenue of $973.9M. The city carries $66.5M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Gastonia, NC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Gastonia, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of D (41/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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