Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population
366,972
0.257% 1-year growth
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2023 Median Age
43.4
0.463% 1-year increase
2023 Poverty Rate
13.9%
0.0727% 1-year decrease
2023 Median Household Income
$60,255
3.99% 1-year growth
2023 Median Property Value
$193,400
12% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
169,854
0.818% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC had a population of 367k people with a median age of 43.4 and a median household income of $60,255. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC grew from 366,031 to 366,972, a 0.257% increase and its median household income grew from $57,943 to $60,255, a 3.99% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (78.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (6.22%), Other (Hispanic) (3.74%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (2.88%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.84%).

None of the households in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.1% of the residents in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are Catawba Valley Community College (1,388 degrees awarded in 2023), Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (1,022 degrees), and Lenoir-Rhyne University (634 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $193,400, and the homeownership rate was 74.3%.

Most people in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Wisemans View, NC
Photo by Joe Giordano
United StatesNorth Carolina

Population & Diversity

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is home to a population of 367k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 5.3% of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC residents were born outside of the country (19.4k people).

In 2023, there were 12.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (288k people) in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 13.7k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%
2023 Citizenship
97.1%
2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.1% of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was 97.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    288k ± 556
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    22.8k ± 796
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    13.7k ± 1.27k
8.8%
Hispanic Population
32.3k people

In 2023, there were 12.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (288k people) in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.8k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 13.7k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

8.8% of the people in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are hispanic (32.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    224,963 ± 11,520 people
  2. India
    83,219 ± 7,055 people
  3. Honduras
    48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

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Foreign-Born Population

5.3%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
19.4k people
5.11%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
18.7k people

As of 2023, 5.3% of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC residents (19.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was 5.11%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    7,887 ± 509
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    3,824 ± 511
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    2,641 ± 444

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.06 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC employs 170k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC were Manufacturing (41,635 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (22,046 people), and Retail Trade (19,324 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($98,554), Utilities ($71,316), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($71,118).

Employment

Occupations

170k
2023 Value
± 3,483
0.818%
1 Year growth
± 2.91%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC grew at a rate of 0.818%, from 168k employees to 170k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, are Production Occupations (24,396 people), Management Occupations (16,801 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (16,700 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

170k
2023 Value
± 3,483
0.818%
1 Year growth
± 2.91%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC grew at a rate of 0.818%, from 168k employees to 170k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, are Manufacturing (41,635 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (22,046 people), and Retail Trade (19,324 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, though some of these residents may live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$45,682
Median earning men ± $816
$35,335
Median earning women ± $855

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($66,058), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,846), and Wholesale Trade ($56,198).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($60,208), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,943), and Construction ($50,455).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
Y-Axis
3.04%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 607
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  2. 524
    Retail Trade
  3. 513
    Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $2.15M
    Manufacturing
  2. $1.22M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $552k
    Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC awarded 3,613 degrees. The student population of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 4,963 male students and 7,235 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are White (2,617 and 73.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (408 and 11.4%), Black or African American (203 and 5.69%), and Asian (162 and 4.54%).

The largest universities in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC by number of degrees awarded are Catawba Valley Community College (1,388 and 38.4%), Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (1,022 and 28.3%), and Lenoir-Rhyne University (634 and 17.5%).

The most popular majors in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (938 and 26%), General Business Administration & Management (235 and 6.5%), and Registered Nursing (196 and 5.42%).

The median tuition cost in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC for private four year colleges is $30,000.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 80.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 7.42%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 12,198 (40.7% men and 59.3% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 12,198 students enrolled in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, 40.7% men and 59.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 8,464 records, of which 60.1% were women and 39.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Registered Nursing
    147 degrees awarded
  2. General Business Administration & Management
    66 degrees awarded
  3. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    938 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was Registered Nursing with 147 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. Catawba Valley Community College
    1,388 degrees awarded
  2. Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
    1,022 degrees awarded
  3. Lenoir-Rhyne University
    634 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Catawba Valley Community College with 1,388 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,459 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, which is 0.677 times less than the 2,154 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,617 degrees mean that there were 6.41 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 408 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($30,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($900) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,900) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
Measure

In 2023, 0.995% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.855% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2023 were High School or Equivalent (2.18M), Some college (1.81M), and Bachelors Degree (1.69M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $193,400 in 2023, which is 0.637 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $172,700 to $193,400, a 12% increase. The homeownership rate in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is 74.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC have an average commute time of 24.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$193,400
Median Property Value 2023
±$3,807
$109,836
Median Property Taxes
±$2,648

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

74.3%
Homeownership
2023
67%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2023

In 2023, 74.3% of the housing units in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 74%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$60,255
Median Household Income
± $1,481
148k
Number of Households
± 3,179

In 2023, the median household income of the 148k households in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC grew to $60,255 from the previous year's value of $57,943.

The following chart displays the households in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is from North Carolina.
0.467
2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (81.9%)
  2. Carpooled (9.77%)
  3. Worked At Home (6.56%)

In 2023, 81.9% of workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.77%) and those who worked at home (6.56%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

24.2 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC have a shorter commute time (24.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.67% of the workforce in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC (50k out of 359k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

88.7% of the population of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC has health coverage, with 42% on employee plans, 17% on Medicaid, 15.6% on Medicare, 12.4% on non-group plans, and 1.75% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 317 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
1,413 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.9% under 18 years, 18.6% between 18 and 34 years, 39.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

11.3%
Uninsured
42%
Employer Coverage
17%
Medicaid
15.6%
Medicare
12.4%
Non-Group
1.75%
Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC grew by 1.02% from 11.2% to 11.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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