City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Hickory, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Hickory - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

43,747
Residents
$63,361
Median income
$248,300
Median home
$1,095
Median rent (state)

Hickory - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Hickory lands in the 40th percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

40th
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
28th
percentile, median rent
13th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Hickory, NC

43,747 people live in Hickory, North Carolina - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Hickory households earn a median of $63,361 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.9%. Hickory's housing stock carries a median value of $248,300, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. Educational attainment runs 35.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Hickory's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3231.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,095 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). Workers in Hickory report an average commute of 17.9 minutes, with 73.3% driving alone and 11.0% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 80.6 out of 100 (High).

Population

43,747 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$63,361 /yr

Poverty 11.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Hickory compare to other US cities?

Where Hickory sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 40% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 28% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Hickory ranks #120 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hickory's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

40thIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

40th percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hickory's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hickory's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 37 Avg. percentile National median
Hickory's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Hickory's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$248,300 45th percentile more affordable than 45% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hickory $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Hickory, NC Hickory, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hickory, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Hickory, NC median $63,361/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Hickory, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Hickory, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
43,747
Median Income
$63,361
Median Home Value
$248,300
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
11.9%
Labor force participation
56.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3231.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
407.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2824.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
43,000 residents44,000 residents45,000 residents46,000 residents47,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 43,708 residents 45,975 residents ▲ +5.2%
Hickory's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.9 minutes
Drive Alone
73.3%
Carpool
12.9%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
11.0%
Other
1.4%

Based on 20,054 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Hickory sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,095/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Holly Springs
43,429 people
Indian Trail
41,146 people
Wilson
47,740 people
Fuquay-Varina
37,749 people
Wake Forest
51,199 people
Mooresville
51,447 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hickory's 43,747 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Trujillo Alto zona urbana, PR
43,752 people
Lombard, IL
43,722 people
Leominster, MA
43,697 people
Lompoc, CA
43,819 people
Spanish Fork, UT
43,632 people
Hicksville, NY
43,868 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hickory's $63,361 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Newport, MN
$63,365 median income
Fullerton, PA
$63,357 median income
Diablock, KY
$63,367 median income
Benton, KY
$63,368 median income
Willmar, MN
$63,368 median income
Summers, AR
$63,352 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hickory, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Hickory, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 68.3% 13.5% 8.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.9% White 68.3% Black or African American 13.5% Asian 4.2% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.9% Two or more races 8.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Hickory compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Hickory (this city) 43,747 $63,361
Holly Springs 43,429 $132,435
Indian Trail 41,146 $99,073
Wilson 47,740 $47,294
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hickory, NC?

What is the population of Hickory, NC? +

43,747 people live in Hickory, NC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hickory, NC? +

The median household income in Hickory is $63,361 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hickory? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hickory; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Hickory, NC safe? +

Hickory has a total crime rate of 3231.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Hickory, NC? +

Homes in Hickory carry a median value of $248,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.