Signals
28602
28152
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs72 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
67 · Top 30%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
80 · Bottom 21%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 26%
vs41 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 28602 | 28152 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,113 | 26,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,048 | $57,806 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,255 | $29,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 440/sq mi | 329/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $212,900 | $205,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $896 | $973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 65.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 25.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.1" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 34.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.63 | 17.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.7% | 45.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.4% | 48.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 89.9% | 99.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
28602
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
28152
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 28602 — Hickory, NC · 28152 — Shelby, NC · How this is calculated: methodology