CITY
Hickory
North Carolina · 45,975 residents (2025 est.) · 31.893 sq mi
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The short version
Hickory has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $64,576. Population has grown 19% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $278,400.
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
PEP 2025 EST:45,975 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)
Population, 1990 – 2024
202444K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(2,350)
5 to 95.2%(2,292)
10 to 146.6%(2,925)
15 to 197.4%(3,285)
20 to 249.5%(4,207)
25 to 3413.7%(6,070)
35 to 4410.4%(4,600)
45 to 5412.6%(5,586)
55 to 6412.2%(5,379)
65 to 749.5%(4,203)
75 to 845.6%(2,493)
85 and over2%(868)
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
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
42.6%
+16.0 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade21.6%
Information13.5%
Wholesale trade6.1%
Finance & insurance4%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
Other services3.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
Public administration2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
Construction0.4%
Education & health services0.2%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$278,400
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.3
+10%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
68
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Hickory on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic73.2%(27,245)
Black13.9%(5,181)
Hispanic / Latino7.7%(2,863)
Asian3.8%(1,426)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic62.6%(27,704)
Black13%(5,733)
Hispanic / Latino15.2%(6,709)
Asian4.8%(2,106)
Other4.5%(2,006)
71
+17%since 2009
from 60 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican7.6%(3,360)
South American2.6%(1,162)
Puerto Rican2.2%(990)
Central American1.3%(560)
Salvadoran0.8%(334)
Ecuadorian0.8%(334)
Argentine0.7%(317)
Colombian0.5%(204)
Guatemalan0.3%(151)
Chilean0.3%(151)
Venezuelan0.2%(106)
Dominican0.1%(61)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Hmong2.8%(1,256)
Vietnamese0.8%(375)
Thai0.4%(194)
Filipino0.2%(82)
Asian Indian0.2%(76)
Korean0.1%(44)
Chinese0.1%(25)
Japanese0%(19)
Sri Lankan0%(19)
Mien0%(17)
Ancestry
English15.6%(6,893)
German12.2%(5,382)
American9.7%(4,315)
Irish7.6%(3,351)
Italian3.6%(1,593)
Scottish2.4%(1,055)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(911)
French1.9%(832)
Polish1.7%(745)
Dutch0.9%(390)
Greek0.7%(327)
Norwegian0.6%(270)
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.5%(231)
Welsh0.5%(215)
British0.4%(178)
Swedish0.4%(169)
Subsaharan African0.4%(155)
Romanian0.3%(140)
Ukrainian0.3%(120)
French Canadian0.2%(105)
Danish0.2%(94)
Slovak0.2%(89)
Hungarian0.2%(74)
Slovene0.1%(65)
Brazilian0.1%(62)
Croatian0.1%(54)
West Indian0.1%(50)
Swiss0.1%(38)
Czech0.1%(34)
Iranian0.1%(32)
Finnish0.1%(27)
Jamaican0.1%(26)
Belgian0%(20)
Portuguese0%(15)
Armenian0%(13)
Austrian0%(12)
Turkish0%(5)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
90.0%
+10.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Section 08
People & community
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.2%(7,372)
Married48%(8,389)
Widowed3.2%(567)
Divorced6.5%(1,134)
Women 15+
Never married33.3%(6,400)
Married42.2%(8,110)
Widowed9.6%(1,854)
Divorced14.9%(2,865)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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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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North CarolinaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024