Signals
Hickory
Morganton
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 28%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs76 · Bottom 42%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Hickory | Morganton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,258 | 17,646 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,576 | $51,355 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,101 | $29,317 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,370/sq mi | 918/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $278,400 | $221,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.0% | 54.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.1" | 47.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.19 | 16.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.3% | 40.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.0% | 43.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 97.2% | 93.8% | 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
Hickory
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Morganton
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, lightning.
Full profiles: Hickory, NC · Morganton, NC · How this is calculated: methodology