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CITY · 2010 ACS

Hickory

North Carolina · 40,010 residents · 31.9 sq mi
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The short version

Hickory is home to 40,010 people in North Carolina. Owners hold 54% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $154,400. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 18%. The average commute runs 19 minutes. Households take in $37,289 at the median, 29% less than the US figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 37.7
US median: 37.2
Average education
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

40,010
+7%since 2000
from 37,222 in 2000
1990 – 2025
37.7
+9%since 2000
from 34.6 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
31.9 sq mi
Population, 19902024
27K32K36K41K46K19902000201020202024Hickory
202444K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.8%(2,719)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.7%(2,677)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.4%(2,548)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.8%(2,705)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.1%(2,821)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3412.7%(5,067)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4413.7%(5,498)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5413.9%(5,562)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6411.7%(4,680)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 747.3%(2,902)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.9%(1,958)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.2%(873)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$37,289
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,236 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$26,145
+12%since 2000
from $23,263 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
25.7%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
17.4%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.513
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade19.8%
US avg: 10.9%
Information12%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade5.6%
US avg: 7.2%
Transportation & warehousing4.8%
US avg: 3.1%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 7%
Finance & insurance4.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical3.7%
US avg: 4.2%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$154,400
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,600 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$610
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $540 in 2000
US average: $853
54.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2000
from 55.0% in 2000
45.9% rent
11.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.36 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.43 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
23.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
44.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
4.1
+5%since 2009
from 3.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
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%
2010
White, non-Hispanic69.4%(27,750)
Black14.1%(5,638)
Hispanic / Latino11.4%(4,544)
Asian3.1%(1,255)
Other2.3%(912)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.4%(3,752)
Salvadoran0.7%(263)
Puerto Rican0.5%(217)
Costa Rican0.4%(164)
Honduran0.3%(133)
Peruvian0.3%(132)
Guatemalan0.3%(127)
Panamanian0.2%(76)
Venezuelan0.2%(70)
Dominican0.1%(55)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0%(13)
Chilean0%(10)
Ancestry
German17.8%(7,114)
English12.9%(5,157)
Irish10.8%(4,318)
American9.3%(3,722)
Scotch-Irish4.1%(1,622)
Scottish4%(1,616)
Italian2.9%(1,146)
Dutch1.8%(733)
French1.7%(690)
Polish0.9%(346)
Russian0.5%(207)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.3%(134)
Hungarian0.3%(125)
Welsh0.3%(117)
Slovak0.3%(113)
Canadian0.3%(110)
Norwegian0.3%(103)
British0.2%(91)
Swiss0.2%(70)
Ukrainian0.2%(70)
Austrian0.2%(64)
Lithuanian0.1%(52)
Romanian0.1%(52)
Danish0.1%(49)
Greek0.1%(45)
West Indian0.1%(34)
Czech0.1%(25)
Latvian0%(19)
Slovene0%(13)
Belgian0%(11)
Jamaican0%(11)
Section 05

Education

29.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 28.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
82.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
9.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

18.6 min
+66%since 2000
from 11.2 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
84.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
9.1%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
3.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
1.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.5%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
8.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
35.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

45.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
54.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.8% in 2009
9.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
10.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
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).

10.9%
−8.4 ptssince 2013
from 19.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
18.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Hickory, North Carolina?

Hickory, North Carolina has about 40,010 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Hickory, North Carolina?

The typical household in Hickory, North Carolina earns about $37,289 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 $154,400, and the typical rent is about $610 a month.

How educated are people in Hickory, North Carolina?

About 29.2% 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 17.4% 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 11,673 residents, a change of about 41 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 →