Hickory, NC — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·North Carolina·Hickory

Catawba County · Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton · population 45,081

First-time buyers

Image: Wikipedia · Hickory, North Carolina

Overview Cost of living Moving guide

View watchlist →

Rising

Momentum score · 0–100

Where Hickory stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $295,638

1-year +2.3%

5-yr CAGR +6.7%

vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Population +0.9%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly

Lifestyle scores

🚶

Walkability

32/100

Very car-dependent

Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.

🚉

Public transit

22/100

Transit limited

Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.

💻

Remote work fit

90/100

Excellent for remote work

Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.8

Lean buy

At a 17.8 price-to-rent ratio, Hickory is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →

Home YoY

61 · w22%

Home 5-yr CAGR

73 · w22%

Distance from peak

90 · w18%

Population growth

63 · w16%

Rent YoY

61 · w12%

Home 10-yr CAGR

80 · w10%

Long thesis

Hickory has held up across the cycle: home values at $295,638 with +6.7% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Hickory's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Hickory

Hickory is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, with an estimated population of 45,081. It anchors the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area. The population grew 0.9% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Hickory is $295,638 as of 2026-04, up 2.3% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.7% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Hickory average $1,384 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.5%). The composite momentum score is 71 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.7% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.

●Quiet strength: +2.3% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.

●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Hickory (Wikipedia)

Hickory is a city in western North Carolina primarily located in Catawba County. The 25th most populous city in the state, it is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Charlotte.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Catawba County right now.

NWS active alerts (NC)North Carolina Emergency Management How to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Catawba County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Neighborhoods of Hickory

12 tracked · ranked by median home value

1Claremont$399,188+3.1%

2Oakwood$394,471+2.0%

3Northlakes$391,409+1.9%

4Lakeland$371,872+2.4%

5Mountain View$272,523+2.1%

6Forest Hills$270,229+3.0%

7St. Stephens$262,371+0.2%

8Green Park$206,706+3.1%

9Highland$203,418-1.0%

10Westmont$185,383+7.2%

11Kenworth$184,304+1.8%

12Ridgeview$155,750+2.6%

Cities like Hickory

Asheboro, NC70 · Rising Salisbury, NC68 · Rising Thomasville, NC71 · Rising Elizabeth City, NC71 · Rising

Run the numbers for Hickory

ToolCan I afford Hickory?Income → city shortlist ToolROI on a Hickory rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCR ToolCompare Hickory to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 cities ToolHickory cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)

50° / 30°

avg high / low

Summer (Jul)

88° / 68°

avg high / low

Sunny days/yr

213

~58% of year

Annual precip

50″ rain

6″ snow

Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)

Hurricane

High

Tornado

Moderate

Wildfire

Low

Earthquake

Very low

Flood

High

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Hickory listings on the major real-estate sites.

For rent

Zillow rentals → Apartments.com → Trulia rentals →

For sale

Zillow for sale → Realtor.com →

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Latest news

An NRA Shooting Sports Journal | WOOX Is Building Out Its Hickory, N.C., Facility
Shooting Sports USA · 2d ago
6 Towns Perfect for Retirement in North Carolina
WorldAtlas · 3d ago
St. Stephens High School (Hickory, NC) Baseball
MaxPreps · 2d ago
Kimbrough Consulting Adds Polygraph Services in Hickory, North Carolina
ACCESS Newswire · 1d ago
Thomas McCann Obituary – Hickory, NC
Dignity Memorial · 1w ago
Fire at pro baseball stadium in North Carolina cancels games
WBTV · 1w ago

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

NFLCarolina Panthers →

NBACharlotte Hornets →

Local economy & environment

Humidity

71%

Humid climate

Median household income

$67,500

North Carolina state median

Top industries (state-level)

Banking (Charlotte)Tech (RTP)Manufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.