Springdale, NC

Springdale is an unincorporated Gaston County CDP pressed against the edges of Gastonia and Ranlo. It was first listed as a census-designated place in 2020, with 1,203 residents, and Monterey Park sits along its northern side. That makes Springdale a map-defined community rather than a separate town government, with its identity tied to the neighboring municipalities and the roads between them. The place is a good example of how the Charlotte-area urban edge gets labeled: one local name, several municipal borders, and a community that can be easy to miss if you only look for incorporated towns.