United States › North Carolina › Hickory CITY
Hickory North Carolina · 45,975 residents (2025 est.) · 31.9 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Hickory is home to 44,258 people in North Carolina. Owners hold 55% of the housing stock. The population is up 19% since 2000. There are 1,388 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $278,400, having more than doubled since 2000. The average commute runs 21 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 37,222 in 2000
45,975 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,388 / sq mi
+9%since 2009
from 1,273 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K 32K 36K 41K 46K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Hickory Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,576
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,236 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $23,263 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.513 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Public administration 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.4%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$278,400
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,063
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $540 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 55.0% in 2000
45.0% rent
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 73.2%(27,245)
Hispanic / Latino 7.7%(2,863)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 62.6%(27,704)
Hispanic / Latino 15.2%(6,709)
from 60 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 28.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 67.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 84.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 11.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 42.2%(7,372)
Women 15+
Never married 33.3%(6,400)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 33.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 26.6%(571)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.7%(466)
Share of the 2,149 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Hickory, North Carolina? Hickory, North Carolina has about 44,258 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Hickory, North Carolina? The typical household in Hickory, North Carolina earns about $64,576 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Hickory, North Carolina expensive? In Hickory, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $278,400, and the typical rent is about $1,063 a month.
How educated are people in Hickory, North Carolina? About 37.1% of adults age 25 and over in Hickory, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Hickory, North Carolina? About 17.1% of people in Hickory, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Hickory, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Hickory, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 15,921 residents, a change of about 56 percent over that period.
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