Hickory, NC

Census Place

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2023 Population

43,747

0.911% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

37.7

0.528% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

16.9%

2.15% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$63,361

8.77% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$248,300

6.2% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

20,311

1.62% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Hickory, NC had a population of 43.7k people with a median age of 37.7 and a median household income of $63,361. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Hickory, NC grew from 43,352 to 43,747, a 0.911% increase and its median household income grew from $58,251 to $63,361, a 8.77% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Hickory, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (64.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (13.3%), Other (Hispanic) (4.9%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.34%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (4.15%).

None of the households in Hickory, 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.

94.2% of the residents in Hickory, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in N/A are Catawba Valley Community College (1,765 degrees awarded in 2022) and Lenoir-Rhyne University (607 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Hickory, NC was $248,300, and the homeownership rate was 55.9%.

Most people in Hickory, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Hickory, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina Burke County, NC Caldwell County, NC Catawba County, NC Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Caldwell & Alexander Counties PUMA, NC Burke & McDowell Counties PUMA, NC Catawba County--Hickory City PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Hickory, NC is home to a population of 43.7k people, from which 94.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 8.95% of Hickory, NC residents were born outside of the country (3.91k people).

In 2023, there were 4.84 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (28.1k people) in Hickory, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.81k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.14k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.2%

2023 Citizenship

94.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 94.2% of Hickory, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Hickory, NC was 94.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Hickory, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
28.1k ± 1.18k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
5.81k ± 991
Other (Hispanic)
2.14k ± 660

13.9%

Hispanic Population

6.07k people

13.9% of the people in Hickory, NC are hispanic (6.07k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Hickory, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Hickory, NC.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Hickory, NC was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 Hickory, NC residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

8.95%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

3.91k people

8.92%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

3.87k people

As of 2023, 8.95% of Hickory, NC residents (3.91k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hickory, NC was 8.92%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
803 ± 176
Gulf War (2001-)
576 ± 247
Gulf War (1990s)
394 ± 132

Hickory, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.39 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Hickory, NC employs 20.3k people. The largest industries in Hickory, NC are Manufacturing (4,276 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,831 people), and Retail Trade (2,695 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($90,268), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($75,256), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($75,256).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is N/A, which is N/A than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

20.3k

2023 Value

± 1,199

1.62%

1 Year growth

± 8.1%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hickory, NC grew at a rate of 1.62%, from 20k employees to 20.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hickory, NC, are Management Occupations (2,575 people), Sales & Related Occupations (2,355 people), and Production Occupations (1,999 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Hickory, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

20.3k

2023 Value

± 1,199

1.62%

1 Year growth

± 8.1%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Hickory, NC grew at a rate of 1.62%, from 20k employees to 20.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hickory, NC, are Manufacturing (4,276 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,831 people), and Retail Trade (2,695 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Hickory, NC, though some of these residents may live in Hickory, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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.

Education

In 2022, universities in Hickory, NC awarded 2,372 degrees. The student population of Hickory, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 2,691 male students and 3,835 female students.

The largest universities in Hickory, NC by number of degrees awarded are Catawba Valley Community College (1,765 and 74.4%) and Lenoir-Rhyne University (607 and 25.6%).

The most popular majors in N/A are Liberal Arts & Sciences (597 and 25.2%), General Business Administration & Management (262 and 11%), and Registered Nursing (135 and 5.69%).

The median tuition cost in N/A for private four year colleges is $43,000.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Hickory, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 82.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 8.74%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 6,526 (41.2% men and 58.8% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 6,526 students enrolled in Hickory, NC, 41.2% men and 58.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,247 records, of which 59.4% were women and 40.6% men.

Completions

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Catawba Valley Community College
1,765 degrees awarded
Lenoir-Rhyne University
607 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Catawba Valley Community College with 1,765 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($43,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($239) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, InfinityM% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while InfinityM% of women were in the same situation.

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

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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Hickory, NC was $248,300 in 2023, which is 0.818 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $233,800 to $248,300, a 6.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Hickory, NC is 55.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Hickory, NC have an average commute time of 20.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Hickory, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Hickory, NC is $63,361. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Hickory, NC was Census Tract 105.02 with a value of $114,500, followed by Census Tract 105.01 and Census Tract 103.02, with respective values of $98,825 and $80,591.

Housing

Property

$248,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$13,385

$9,674

Median Property Taxes

±$764

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, 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, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

55.9%

Homeownership

2023

67.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 55.9% of the housing units in Hickory, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 53.6%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 105.02
Census Tract 105.01
Census Tract 103.02

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Hickory, NC was Census Tract 105.02 with a value of $114,500, followed by Census Tract 105.01 and Census Tract 103.02, with respective values of $98,825 and $80,591.

The following map shows all of the places in Hickory, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$63,361

Median Household Income

± $4,728

17.3k

Number of Households

± 1,079

In 2023, the median household income of the 17.3k households in Hickory, NC grew to $63,361 from the previous year's value of $58,251.

The following chart displays the households in Hickory, 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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Hickory, NC is from Hickory, NC.

N/A Wage GINI in N/A

In N/A, the income inequality in N/A was N/A according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a N/A N/A from N/A to N/A, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat N/A even. The GINI for N/A was N/A than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed N/A evenly in N/A in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Hickory, NC across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (73.3%)
Carpooled (12.9%)
Worked At Home (11%)

In 2023, 73.3% of workers in Hickory, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.9%) and those who worked at home (11%).

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.

Commute Time

20.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hickory, NC have a shorter commute time (20.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.75% of the workforce in Hickory, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hickory, NC (7.13k out of 42.1k 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 18 - 24 and then Males 18 - 24.

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

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

87.8% of the population of Hickory, NC has health coverage, with 43.8% on employee plans, 16.7% on Medicaid, 12.3% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 1.55% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Catawba County, NC see 1541 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.38% increase from the previous year (1520 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1685 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 401 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Catawba County, NC.

1,541 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Catawba County, NC

Primary care physicians in Catawba County, NC see an average of 1,541 patients per year. This represents a 1.38% increase from the previous year (1,520 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.1% under 18 years, 23.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.2% were men and 50.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

12.2%

Uninsured

43.8%

Employer Coverage

16.7%

Medicaid

12.3%

Medicare

13.4%

Non-Group

1.55%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hickory, NC grew by 0.457% from 12.1% to 12.2%.

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

Keep Exploring

North Carolina

State

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC