Data / Hickory, NC / Profile

Hickory, NC in figures

A profile of Hickory, NC from official statistics: 10 figures in 3 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Hickory, NC was 45,975 in 2025, up 1.7% from 2024, and the 26th highest of 93 cities in North Carolina.

Population45,9752025Up 1.7% from 2024The 26th highest of 93 cities in North Carolina
Median age37.5 years2024Down 0.2 years from 2023The 45th lowest of 93 cities in North Carolina
Foreign-born population share9.6%2024Up 0.7 percentage points from 2023The 39th highest of 93 cities in North Carolina
Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over37.1%2024Up 1.2 percentage points from 2023
43.5K44K44.5K45K45.5K46K2020202120222023202420252020: 43,708 persons2021: 43,824 persons2022: 44,178 persons2023: 44,617 persons2024: 45,222 persons2025: 45,975 persons
Population, 2020 to 2025. persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in Hickory, NC was 3.7% (provisional) in August 2026, down 0.6 percentage points from August 2025, and tied for the 19th highest of 44 cities in North Carolina.

Unemployment rate3.7%August 2026, provisionalDown 0.6 percentage points from August 2025Tied for the 19th highest of 44 cities in North Carolina
Median household income$64,5762024Up 1.9% from 2023The 44th lowest of 93 cities in North Carolina
Gini index48.72024Up 0.4 points from 2023The 25th highest of 93 cities in North Carolina
2.533.544.555.52021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-082021-07: 5.3 %2021-08: 5.1 %2021-09: 4.5 %2021-10: 4.4 %2021-11: 4.3 %2021-12: 3.4 %2022-01: 4.2 %2022-02: 4 %2022-03: 3.6 %2022-04: 3.4 %2022-05: 3.6 %2022-06: 4.1 %2022-07: 3.9 %2022-08: 4.1 %2022-09: 3.4 %2022-10: 3.7 %2022-11: 3.6 %2022-12: 3.1 %2023-01: 3.9 %2023-02: 3.8 %2023-03: 3.6 %2023-04: 2.9 %2023-05: 3.7 %2023-06: 3.9 %2023-07: 3.8 %2023-08: 3.9 %2023-09: 3.2 %2023-10: 3.4 %2023-11: 3.4 %2023-12: 3.3 %2024-01: 3.8 %2024-02: 3.9 %2024-03: 3.7 %2024-04: 3.4 %2024-05: 3.7 %2024-06: 4.2 %2024-07: 4.2 %2024-08: 4 %2024-09: 3.3 %2024-10: 3.4 %2024-11: 3.6 %2024-12: 3.3 %2025-01: 3.9 %2025-02: 4 %2025-03: 3.8 %2025-04: 3.5 %2025-05: 3.8 %2025-06: 4.1 %2025-07: 4.2 %2025-08: 4.3 %2025-09: 3.8 %2025-11: 3.9 %2025-12: 3.3 %2026-01: 3.9 %2026-02: 3.9 %2026-03: 3.6 %2026-04: 3.7 %2026-05: 3.8 %2026-06: 3.7 %2026-07: 3.8 %2026-08: 3.7 %
Unemployment rate, July 2021 to August 2026. %. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Labor market statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Median home value in Hickory, NC was $278,400 in 2024, up 12.1% from 2023, and the 44th lowest of 93 cities in North Carolina.

Median home value$278,4002024Up 12.1% from 2023The 44th lowest of 93 cities in North Carolina
Median gross rent (monthly)$1,0632024Up 9% from 2023The 28th lowest of 93 cities in North Carolina
Homeownership rate (US, housing units)55%2024Down 0.9 percentage points from 2023The 39th lowest of 93 cities in North Carolina
180K200K220K240K260K280K20212022202320242021: 199,100 USD2022: 233,800 USD2023: 248,300 USD2024: 278,400 USD
Median home value, 2021 to 2024. USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Housing statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b01002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: unemployment rate (measure 03). https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19083.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25077.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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