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CITY

Hickory

North Carolina · 45,975 residents (2025 est.) · 31.9 sq mi
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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
median household income $64,576, 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
Unique to this place

What stands out about Hickory

What changed most since 1990

  • Poverty rate11.3% → 17.1% (+5.8 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts

Among the 34 cities and towns in the Hickory metro

  • 16th in household income$64,576
  • 7th in share with a bachelor's degree37.1%
  • 6th in home value$278,400
  • 3rd in diversity score70.5

Its weight in Catawba County

Hickory's population equals 27% of Catawba County's. Its number of people who work from home equals 42% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 40% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,258
+19%since 2000
from 37,222 in 2000
45,975 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,388 / sq mi
+19%since 2000
from 1,167 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
37.5
+8%since 2000
from 34.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
31.9 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
27K32K36K41K46K19902000201020202024Hickory
202444K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(2,350)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.2%(2,292)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(2,925)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.4%(3,285)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 249.5%(4,207)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.7%(6,070)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.4%(4,600)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.6%(5,586)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.2%(5,379)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.5%(4,203)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.6%(2,493)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(868)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$64,576
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,236 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,101
+64%since 2000
from $23,263 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.6%
+16.0 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
17.1%
+5.8 ptssince 2000
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.487
−5%since 2010
from 0.513 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade21.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information13.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$278,400
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,063
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $540 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
55.0%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 55.0% in 2000
45.0% rent
Vacancy rate
9.6%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.36 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.0%
−5.6 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.1%
−6.3 ptssince 2009
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.3
+10%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
68
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
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)
Diversity Score
71
+17%since 2009
from 60 in 2009
1990 – 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)
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
Panamanian0.1%(53)
Peruvian0.1%(50)
Cuban0.1%(46)
Honduran0%(15)
Spaniard0%(14)
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)
Mien0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0.1%(36)
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)
Romanian0.3%(140)
Ukrainian0.3%(120)
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)
Armenian0%(13)
Austrian0%(12)
Turkish0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
37.1%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 28.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.0%
+10.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.2%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.1 min
+89%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.3%
−11.1 ptssince 2009
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
13.1%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.9%
+9.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.2%
−3.7 ptssince 2011
from 62.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 67.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.5%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.5%
+6.0 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
Female
51.4%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 52.8% in 2009
Foreign born
9.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.2%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2012
from 11.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.9%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.6%
+11.6 ptssince 2017
from 76.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.8%
+4.1 ptssince 2020
from 90.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2020
from 82.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
85.0%
+1.0 ptssince 2016
from 84.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
10.6%
−0.9 ptssince 2016
from 11.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.9%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
49.6%
−3.9 ptssince 2020
from 53.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
20.7%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 66.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.5%
+3.5 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.7%(466)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.7%(831)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.2%(91)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Hickory, decade by decade

Hickory population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199028,337$65,311$161,52523.4%39.5
200037,222$67,831$212,40528.0%54.7
201040,010$53,643$222,11529.2%60.6
202043,490$58,969$229,19735.0%68.2
202444,258$64,576$278,40037.1%70.5

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

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HICKORY VS
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HICKORY VS
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HICKORY VS
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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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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →