Gates County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Gatesville’s story
195 years in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1831Gatesville is settled
GatesvilleNC
Rountree Family Farm · Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
260
2025 Census estimate · −4.8% since 2020
Typical home
$223K
+7.3% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
48.2
years
Jobs based here
260
A job hub
Is Gatesville a good place to live?
Gatesville has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Gates County Courthouse and Elmwood Plantation. Gatesville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Gatesville stand out
Where Gatesville beats most towns.
Small town
260 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Gatesville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gatesville, and how to reach them.
PowerDominion Energy12.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGates County Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Gatesville’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereGates County Board of ElectionsGates County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2021
ZIP code2793827938 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Gatesville.
Work & commute
Gatesville stands out in North Carolina and nationally: the average trip to work there is longer
The top destinations are Suffolk (15%), Norfolk (10%) and Chesapeake (9%). 3.1% of residents live below the poverty line in Gatesville, against 13% in North Carolina’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Also worth knowing: just 5% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. Jobs in the town fell by 94 from 2013 to 2023, to 260.
5%work in town
| Gatesville | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 45 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.5% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Gatesville5%
Suffolk15%
Norfolk10%
Chesapeake9%
Ahoskie5%
31 mi
median commute distance
260
jobs based in Gatesville
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Gatesville’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The Gates County Schools runs its public schools. Enrollment at Gatesville’s public school: 252 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gatesville ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 252 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
Homes in Gatesville are worth about $223K, by Zillow’s estimate
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 7.3%. Gatesville’s midpoint rent stands at $950 a month, below both North Carolina’s towns ($1,085 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). The share of households in Gatesville who live in a home they own: 75%.
$223KZillow home value
| Gatesville | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $950 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 75% | 67% | 73% |
Typical home value
Gatesville$223K
North Carolina$332K
+7.3%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Gatesville is older than the North Carolina average
Since 2020, Gatesville has lost 4.8% of its people, to 260 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. People 65 and older are 26% of residents (17% statewide); children under 18 are 13% of residents (22% statewide). The town’s median age comes in at 48.2 years. Among adults 25 and older, 28% have a four-year degree or more, against 36% across North Carolina.
48.2median age · NC 39.1
| Gatesville | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 years | 40.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 18% | 18% |
GatesvilleNorth CarolinaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school28%
Some college34%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9 points. Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Gatesville | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.9% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.5% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.7% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.4% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.3% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.4% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.1% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.5% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.9% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 34% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.6% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.2% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.7% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Gatesville
Summer afternoons peak near 89° in July, and January nights bottom out around 31°; snowfall runs to about 4 inches a winter. Expect mild winters and warm summers in Gatesville, with plenty of rain.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–53°
Spring48–70°
Summer68–87°
Fall52–72°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 7
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Low risk in Gatesville, with hurricanes at the top
Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. Gatesville has had 3 paid flood insurance claims since 2010. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 33% come from hurricanes and 30% from inland flooding.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland floodingStrong wind
3
paid flood claims since 2010
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Gatesville is
Among adults in Gatesville, 14% have diabetes. Of 32 CDC measures, Gatesville beats the North Carolina average on 4 and trails it on 10. Two figures for adults locally: 13% binge drink, 16% report frequent physical distress.
| Gatesville | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 13% | 12% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
4 better18 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Gatesville | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.8% | 12.2% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.7% | 13.9% |
Vidant Roanoke Chowan Hospital
15.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gatesville
17pages on Gatesville
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gatesville; the nearest are
Roanoke-Chowan Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Ahoskie15.9 mi$2,642 in-state tuitionElizabeth City State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Elizabeth City31.5 mi$6,536 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Gatesville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
A job hub
Every workday, about 255 people come to Gatesville for work
Where Gatesville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
260jobs based in Gatesville
5%of working residents work in town
31 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Gatesville on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Gatesville
Town in North Carolina, United States
Gatesville is a town in Gates County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Gatesville had a population of 267. It is the county seat of Gates County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 20 ft
- ZIP code
- 27938
- Area code
- 252
Questions about Gatesville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gatesville, NC a good place to live?
Gatesville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.