Gastonia is the largest city in Gaston County, North Carolina, and serves as the county seat. It is also the second-largest city in the Charlotte metropolitan area, with Concord being the first.

The city of Gastonia was named in honor of William Gaston, a distinguished jurist and politician who served as a representative for North Carolina in the United States Congress.

The following sites in Gastonia, North Carolina have been recognized for their historical significance and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: City Hospital-Gaston Memorial Hospital, Craig Farmstead, Downtown Gastonia Historic District, First National Bank Building, Gaston County Courthouse, Gastonia High School, David Jenkins House, Loray Mill Historic District, Robinson-Gardner Building, Third National Bank Building, and William J. Wilson House.

Gastonia covers 14% area in Gaston County. It is located about (34 km) to the west of Charlotte, 22 miles (35 km) to the east of Shelby, and 37 miles (60 km) to the south of Hickory.

In the city, there were 80,411 residents, 27,796 households, and 18,361 families based on the 2020 census data.

Parkdale Mills, the leading producer of spun yarn globally, has its international corporate headquarters located in the city.

The Schiele Museum of Natural History showcases various permanent displays such as the Hall of North Carolina Natural History and the Henry Hall of the American Indian. Additionally, the museum houses the James H. Lynn Planetarium, which is the sole planetarium in the Charlotte region.

The Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden can be found to the southeast of the city in Belmont along NC 279.

The Catawba River’s U.S. National Whitewater Center lies east of Charlotte, in Mecklenburg County.

Crowders Mountain State Park can be found to the west of the city, close to Kings Mountain. Visitors can enjoy various hiking trails, along with camping facilities, picnic spots, rock climbing opportunities, and fishing.

Eastridge Mall is the sole indoor regional mall in the vicinity, situated at exit 20 on North New Hope Road. It houses two main stores, more than 80 specialty shops, a complete food court, and additional amenities.

The revitalization of Downtown Gastonia Historic District has brought about a resurgence of locally owned businesses, fostering a distinctive ambiance of locally-focused shopping experiences that are deeply rooted in community spirit and celebrated through various events.

Additionally, several other shopping centers can be found throughout the city, featuring a diverse range of popular national and local retailers.

In 2021, the Gastonia Honey Hunters, a team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball affiliated with Major League Baseball, started playing at FUSE District Stadium. This stadium is a key component of the larger Franklin Urban Sports and Entertainment (FUSE) District revitalization project. Prior to the Honey Hunters moving in, the Gastonia Grizzlies, a summer collegiate wood-bat team in the Coastal Plain League, used to play at Sims Legion Park.

The Gastonia Fire Department is made up of eight fire stations located in various neighborhoods within the city. It employs 130 full-time firefighters who work shifts ranging from 3 to 24 hours. The department includes the Life Safety division with a Fire Marshal and four inspectors, as well as the Administration with positions such as Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Training Chief, and two Administrative assistants. Additionally, Gaston County EMS (GEMS) serves as the ambulance service for the county.

The Gaston County Schools (GCS) oversees all public K-12 schools in Gaston County, including those in Gastonia. GCS is responsible for managing elementary, middle, and high schools.

Gastonia has a total of four public high schools, which are Ashbrook High School, Forestview High School, Hunter Huss High School, and Highland School of Technology. Additionally, students residing in the surrounding areas of Gastonia may also enroll in Stuart W. Cramer High School, North Gaston High School, and Bessemer City High School.

There are private schools in the city, including options like Gaston Day School and Gaston Christian School which are part of the selection of private schools in the Gastonia region.

In Gastonia, there is a charter school called Piedmont Community that educates students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The school currently consists of an Elementary campus and a Secondary campus, and a new High School campus is being built. The new campus is scheduled to start operating in the academic year 2020–2021.

There are no colleges or universities within Gastonia’s city limits, but higher education is still accessible in the surrounding area. Belmont Abbey College, a four-year institution, and Gaston College, a two-year college with multiple campuses in Dallas, Lincolnton (Lincoln County), and Belmont, are both located in Gaston County.

The city has three branches of the Gaston County Public Library.

The primary newspaper in Gastonia is the Gaston Gazette, which is printed every day and reports on news from Gastonia city, Gaston County, and neighboring regions. The Charlotte Observer, the largest newspaper in North Carolina, is also distributed throughout the city.

Gastonia receives radio broadcasts from several FM and AM stations, most of nearby city of Charlotte. Within Gastonia, there is one authorized AM station, WGNC 1450 AM, as well as two authorized FM stations, WGNC 101.1FM and WBAV 101.9 FM.

Gastonia’s transportation infrastructure includes major highways and thoroughfares that facilitate easy access to nearby cities. Interstate 85 (I-85) connects Gastonia directly with Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, and Petersburg/Richmond to the northeast, as well as Spartanburg, Greenville, Atlanta, and Montgomery to the southwest. In addition to I-85, Gastonia has another freeway, US 321, which links the city directly with transcontinental I-40 and Hickory, located 35 miles (56 km) north of Gastonia.

Three federal highways, US 29, US 74, and US 321, serve Gastonia. US 29 runs alongside I-85 in the Carolinas, while US 74 connects Gastonia east to Charlotte and Wilmington, and west to Asheville and Cherokee. US 321 links Gastonia to central South Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains in northwest North Carolina. Additionally, Gastonia is accessible via several state highways, including NC 7, NC 274, and NC 275.

Some notable individuals who have ties to Gastonia, North Carolina include:
* Mary Reynolds, a professional baseball player who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
* Dave Robbins, a college basketball coach and member of the NCAA Hall of Fame
* Koren Robinson, a professional football player
* Lionel Shriver, an author best known for her novel “We Need to Talk About Kevin”
* Michal Smolen, an Olympic slalom canoeist
* Thomas Sowell, a political commentator and economist who was born in Gastonia and raised in New York City
* Melvin Stewart, a former world record-holder in swimming who won two Olympic gold medals and one bronze
* Harold Varner III, a professional golfer
* Hassan Whiteside, an NBA player
* James Worthy, an NBA player and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
* Leonard Hamilton, the head coach of the Florida State University men’s basketball team, who was born in Gastonia
* Sylvia Hatchell, the women’s basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
* Wesley Ray “Wes” Helms, a Major League Baseball player
* Lamar Holmes, an NFL player
* Rufus Crawford, a NFL and CFL player
* Crash Davis, a Major League Baseball player who graduated from Gastonia High School
* Glenn Dunaway, a NASCAR driver
* Harold Dunaway, a NASCAR driver
* Fred Durst, the frontman and lyricist of the nu metal group Limp Bizkit
* Eric “Sleepy” Floyd, an NBA player.

Gastonia is partnered with two other cities:
Gotha in Thuringia, Germany
Santiago de Surco in Lima, Peru