CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Hickory

North Carolina · 28,337 residents · 31.9 sq mi

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Hickory is home to 28,337 people in North Carolina. 52% of homes are owner-occupied. The population has fallen 24% since 2000. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. The typical home is worth $67,300. About 23% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 33.9

US median: 33.0

More educated

23% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 24%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

28,337

−24%vs 2000

vs 37,222 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

33.9

−2%vs 2000

vs 34.6 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

31.9 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202444K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.1%(1,725)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95.4%(1,524)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 145.6%(1,599)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.9%(2,228)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 249.3%(2,624)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3417.4%(4,921)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.3%(4,059)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.3%(2,905)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.2%(2,605)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.3%(2,348)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 844.8%(1,368)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.5%(431)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$27,212

−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $37,236 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$15,433

−34%vs 2000

vs $23,263 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

11.3%

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 11.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$67,300

−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $116,600 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$384

−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $540 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

51.7%

−3.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 55.0% in 2000

48.3% rent

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%

1990

White, non-Hispanic81.1%(22,976)

Black17%(4,819)

Hispanic / Latino0.7%(187)

Asian1.1%(319)

Other0.8%(223)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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

Panamanian0.1%(53)

Peruvian0.1%(50)

Cuban0.1%(46)

Honduran0%(15)

Spaniard0%(14)

Costa Rican0%(7)

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)

Pacific Islander origin

Tongan0.1%(36)

Native Hawaiian0%(19)

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)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Irish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

23.4%

−4.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 28.0% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

72.1%

−7.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 79.1% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

6.0%

−2.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 8.6% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

13.3 min

+19%vs 2000

vs 11.2 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

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

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