Stanley’s story
147 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1879Stanley is settled
StanleyNC
A town of 4,069, settled in 1879. Nearly 2.4% of it is conserved land.
Photo: User:Sfline · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,069
+11.4% since 2010
Typical home
$364K
+1.7% in a year
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
36.9
years
Jobs based here
1,396
A commuter town
What makes Stanley stand out
The 3 things Stanley does most differently from other towns.
1 miof trails
Outdoors
#63 most walkable in NC
0.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
2.4% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Stanley
Health
Healthier than 56%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than NC on 0 measures, worse on 1.
B−School Grade
Schools
Better than 49%
of NC districts
School Grade B−.
A growing town
Stanley has grown 11.4% since 2010
3,556 people in 2010; 4,069 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Stanley’s report card
Now in Stanley
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Stanley is #12 of 221 in NC for “Least snow”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Stanley’s Town Square.
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Stanley. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
2.4% of Stanley is conserved land
0.6 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
2.4%conserved
2.4%
conserved · 47 of 1,956 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
#63
most walkable in NC
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Harper Park | 0.6 mi | 17 |
| 2. R.M. Thompson Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 56% of U.S. towns
Stanley beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. North Carolina
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Stanley | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.3% | 7.9% |
Caromont Regional Medical Center
6.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
57th
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 5% of U.S. communities.
5risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesEarthquakes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Stanley’s public schools outperform 49% of North Carolina districts
The public schools Stanley’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 51% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Primary | PK–2 | 352 | Not graded |
| Kiser Elementary | 3–5 | 328 | C |
| Stanley Middle | 6–8 | 602 | B+ |
| Community Charter School | K–10 | 858 | B− |
| Judah Christian Academy Private | PK–12 | 83 | |
| Judah Christian Academy Private | PK–12 | 78 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduationAll 6 schools →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Stanley
Most working residents leave Stanley for work: only 3% work in town. The top destinations are Charlotte (34%), Gastonia (12%) and Mount Holly (3%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
3%work in town
Where working residents work
In Stanley3%
Charlotte34%
Gastonia12%
Mount Holly3%
Huntersville2%
16 mi
median commute distance
1,396
jobs based in Stanley
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Stanley has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter32–54°
Spring48–72°
Summer67–88°
Fall49–72°
Nov 9
typical first frost
Mar 27
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Stanley
Stanley's reported crime rate is below North Carolina's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Stanley0.7
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Stanley10.5
North Carolina18.1
U.S.15.5
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
44
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
A typical Stanley home is worth about $364K
The typical Stanley home is worth about $364,000, up 1.7% in a year, 9% above the North Carolina typical home.
$364KZillow home value
Typical home value
Stanley$364K
North Carolina$335K
+1.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Stanley for work
Where Stanley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,396jobs based in Stanley
3%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Stanley
Town in North Carolina, United States
Stanley is a town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Stanley had a population of 3,963.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1879
- Population
- 3,963
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 863 ft
- ZIP code
- 28164
- Area code
- 704
More about Stanley
Still missing for Stanley:archive photosupcoming events