The nearest cities to Gastonia city in Charlotte metropolitan area are Ranlo, South Gastonia, Lowell, Dallas, and Spencer Mountain, all of them less than 7 miles away from the "soul" of this community incorporated in the 1870s with American, German, and Irish influences. With just 46 square miles of extension, this municipality is home of more than 71000 inhabitants residing under the zip codes 28052 to 28056; with an extensive racial makeup on a statistical chart of 70% White Non Hispanic, more than 25% African American, and the other 5% of minorities of Native American, Asian, and other races.