Jobs, pay and daily life in Hickory, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Hickory is a city in North Carolina with 44,258 residents. The median household earns $64,576 a year and the median rent is $1,063 a month, which is 19.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan area, where BLS counts 154,090 jobs.
How Hickory compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Hickory is #25 by population, #29 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #29 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #61 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Catawba County, is #18 of 100 counties for average pay ($55,761).
Hickory has 44,258 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 32 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,370 people per square mile. The median age is 37.5, 4% younger than the state median (37.5 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,063 a month (rent plus utilities), 13% below the state median ($1,063 against $1,228). Over a year that is 19.8% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $278,400, which is 4.3 times the median household income ($64,576). 55.0% of households own their home, 17% below the state average (55.0% against 66.6%).
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan area has 154,090 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,220 a year, 11% below the national median ($45,220 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (27,410 jobs, median $45,450); transportation and material moving (17,290 jobs, median $41,290); office and administrative support (15,540 jobs, median $43,110). The area is most specialised in production (3.2 times) and transportation and material moving (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($103,700) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($78,990). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Catawba County was 3.1%. 59.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Catawba County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.3% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 0.9% walk, 12.9% work from home. 8.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 38% below the state average (8.6% against 13.9%).
37.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 4% above the state share (37.0% against 35.6%). 9.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 6% above the state share (9.6% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 17.1%, 31% above the state rate (17.1% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.4°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.3°C). About 1,132 mm (45 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (113 mm) and Feb the driest (75 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Newton (7 miles, similar rent); Lenoir (16 miles, rent 38% lower); Lincolnton (19 miles, rent 9% lower); Lake Norman of Catawba (21 miles, rent 24% higher). Rent differences are against Hickory; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideCatawba CountyNorth Carolina rankings
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There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,850 | 1.66 | $40,240 | $30,520 | $47,590 | +0% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,000 | 1.04 | $30,520 | $22,500 | $45,700 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,500 | 1.25 | $38,130 | $29,460 | $49,580 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 3,470 | 1.13 | $27,570 | $22,150 | $34,530 | -16% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,190 | 2.29 | $42,770 | $30,710 | $57,650 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,050 | 1.49 | $57,460 | $40,640 | $78,410 | -2% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,020 | 0.90 | $80,060 | $66,020 | $100,990 | -18% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,930 | 0.77 | $27,580 | $21,340 | $36,170 | -12% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,780 | 1.94 | $37,430 | $31,240 | $44,860 | -11% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 2,650 | 4.16 | $27,550 | $21,810 | $34,310 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,250 | 0.87 | $37,790 | $28,770 | $55,210 | -16% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,060 | 0.84 | $40,340 | $27,610 | $56,820 | -10% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,040 | 0.48 | $30,490 | $23,570 | $37,380 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,000 | 0.89 | $29,310 | $16,170 | $57,830 | -17% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,790 | 1.87 | $38,380 | $33,920 | $48,660 | -16% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,760 | 2.64 | $64,910 | $45,850 | $95,570 | -13% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,750 | 0.50 | $95,640 | $45,060 | $219,920 | -10% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,730 | 1.41 | $67,150 | $37,430 | $131,870 | -7% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 1,710 | 2.88 | $43,140 | $35,350 | $58,300 | -11% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 1,570 | 1.15 | $45,130 | $31,530 | $61,380 | -11% |
These figures are for the whole Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,220 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.2% |
| Manufacturing | 21.6% |
| Retail trade | 13.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.8% |
| Other services | 6.4% |
| Construction | 6.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.8% |
| Information | 1.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Hickory lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Burke County, Caldwell County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba County | 163,573 | $12,403 million | $75,828 | 89,388 | 5,206 | $55,761 | -0.8% | 3.1% | 75,347 |
| Burke County | 87,795 | $3,724 million | $42,421 | 29,553 | 1,725 | $48,986 | +0.2% | 2.9% | 38,209 |
| Caldwell County | 80,536 | $3,308 million | $41,074 | 25,506 | 1,594 | $50,605 | +0.5% | 3.1% | 35,034 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23,353 | 31.4% | $61,362 | 3.18 |
| Retail trade | 10,146 | 13.7% | $36,482 | 1.14 |
| Health care and social assistance | 9,092 | 12.2% | $60,432 | 0.71 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,626 | 10.3% | $21,494 | 0.94 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5,208 | 7.0% | $55,847 | 1.38 |
| Administrative and waste services | 4,774 | 6.4% | $39,767 | 0.91 |
| Construction | 3,473 | 4.7% | $71,659 | 0.74 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,580 | 3.5% | $81,171 | 0.41 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,891 | 2.5% | $41,683 | 0.70 |
| Management of companies | 1,458 | 2.0% | $105,224 | 0.97 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,404 | 1.9% | $22,314 | 0.93 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,200 | 1.6% | $75,680 | 0.33 |
| Information | 905 | 1.2% | $124,489 | 0.54 |
| Educational services | 616 | 0.8% | $51,272 | 0.33 |
| Real estate and rental | 589 | 0.8% | $50,970 | 0.42 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.3% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 0.9% |
| Work from home | 12.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,576 |
| Income per person | $38,101 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,063 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.8% |
| Median home value | $278,400 |
| Homeowners | 55.0% |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 88.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,220 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 37.0% |
| Born abroad | 9.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.3 | 38 | 76 |
| Feb | 5.2 | 41 | 75 |
| Mar | 9.5 | 49 | 91 |
| Apr | 14.9 | 59 | 92 |
| May | 19.9 | 68 | 103 |
| Jun | 24.5 | 76 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.4 | 80 | 113 |
| Aug | 25.8 | 78 | 111 |
| Sep | 22.2 | 72 | 97 |
| Oct | 15.8 | 60 | 83 |
| Nov | 9.4 | 49 | 86 |
| Dec | 5.3 | 42 | 99 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton | NC | 7 mi | 13,333 | $62,015 | $1,091 |
| Lenoir | NC | 16 mi | 18,299 | $49,910 | $664 |
| Lincolnton | NC | 19 mi | 11,783 | $46,320 | $965 |
| Lake Norman of Catawba | NC | 21 mi | 9,906 | $112,656 | $1,319 |
| Morganton | NC | 21 mi | 17,646 | $51,355 | $944 |
| Statesville | NC | 25 mi | 29,894 | $52,880 | $1,000 |
| Lake Norman of Iredell | NC | 26 mi | 12,494 | $173,542 | $1,327 |
| Mooresville | NC | 30 mi | 52,381 | $89,647 | $1,626 |
| Cornelius | NC | 31 mi | 32,783 | $113,767 | $1,722 |
| Davidson | NC | 33 mi | 15,660 | $166,556 | $1,652 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
44,258 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,063 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.8% of the median household income.
$64,576 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Catawba County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.