Census ACS · #152 MSA
Hickory Metro Area
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, Nc Metropolitan Statistical Area has 366,972 residents. The median household income is $60,255 and the median home value is $193,400.
366,972
Population
224
People / sq mi
$60,255
Median Income
$193,400
Median Home Value
The Hickory CBSA covers 1,639 sq mi of land at 223.8 people per square mile.
Race & Ethnicity
| White | 80.6% |
| Black or African American | 6.3% |
| Asian | 0.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.6% |
Economy & Income
$60,255
Median Household Income
$33,377
Per Capita Income
10.0%
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Unemployment
Cost of Living
The Hickory metro's price level is 88.5 on the BEA Regional Price Parity index (US average = 100), meaning prices are 11.5% lower the US average. The local median income of $60,255 has the buying power of $68,096 in average-priced US metros.
88.5
Price Level (US = 100)
$68,096
COL-Adjusted Median Income
$60,255
Nominal Median Income
Housing
$193,400
Median Home Value
$823
Median Rent
74.3%
Homeownership
Education
85.7%
High School+
21.4%
Bachelor's+
Commute
0.1%
Drive Alone
6.6%
Work From Home
24.2 min
Avg Commute
24.6%
Foreign Born
Hickory spans this state
Nearby metros
Largest cities in North Carolina
Largest counties in North Carolina
Part of North Carolina
Other metros
Metro areas in North Carolina
Metro rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, Nc Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 366,972 according to Census ACS 5-Year estimates, making it the #152 largest CBSA in the US.
The median household income in the Hickory metro area is $60,255, with a per capita income of $33,377.
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, Nc CBSA spans the state of North Carolina.
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More from North Carolina
Data for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, Nc CBSA (25860) from the American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. Core-Based Statistical Areas combine cities, suburbs, and surrounding counties tied together by commuting patterns.
Age is the most distinctive thing about Hickory: a median age of 43.4, older than the national median. Hickory is a metro area in NC with a population of 366,972.
Household earnings are middling, with a median of $60,255 — below the US median of $78,538. The poverty rate is 10.0%, below the national 12.4%. The typical home is valued at $193,400, with typical rent around $823.
Roughly 21.4% of adults have a bachelor’s, below the national 35.0%.
The age structure shapes everything downstream in Hickory — from housing demand to the mix of working-age earners reflected in the income figures above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.