Gates County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Gates County has a population of 10,376 residents and a median age of 47.6 years, making it the #2,460 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 9.4%. The median home value is $170,800, and the median household income is $66,333, which is 12% below the national median.
Demographics
Gates County has a population of 10,376, making it the #2,460 most populous county in the US. The median age is 47.6 years, which is 22.4% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Gates County is $66,333, ranking #1,488 out of 3,222 counties — 11.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 9.4% and unemployment stands at 5.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Gates County is $170,800 (-39.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,143/mo and the homeownership rate is 80.9%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Gates County, 10.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 67.6% below the national average, ranking #3,156 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Gates County is 74.6 years. 18.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 9.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.5% of adults in Gates County smoke , 37.3% are obese , and 19.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 31.0 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 42.1 per 100,000.
Firearm Fatalities Trend
Families & Children
19.5% of children in Gates County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 16.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Gates County is 65.5%. The mean commute time is 45.8 min, which is 65.8% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Gates County voted Republican with a margin of 21.7%. The vote was 38.7% Dem / 60.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 7.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Gates County, North Carolina
Gates County, North Carolina has a total population of 10,376, making it the 2,460th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Gates County is 47.6 years, which is 22.4% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Gates County is $66,333, which ranks #1,488 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 9.4%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.8%.
The median home value in Gates County is $170,800, 39.4% below the national median. Renters in Gates County pay a median gross rent of $1,143 per month. The homeownership rate is 80.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Gates County, 10.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 67.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 45.8 min.
Gates County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 63.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (31.0%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
All data for Gates County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.