Catawba County · North Carolina · South · 44k residents
Hickory, NC: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Hickory: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the North Carolina median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: ACS place data; supplementary fields may use state estimates.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,135/wk. North Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 2.25%. Commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh.
Compare Hickory side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,135/wk
Corporate income tax
2.25%
Bachelor's degree or higher
37.1%
Commercial electricity
10.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Hickory's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
40/100
Steady
Ranks Hickory's jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| ACS median home value | $278,400 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $190 |
| Property tax rate | 0.82% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $940/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,064/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.15% |
| Sales tax | 7% |
| Corporate income tax | 2.25% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,135/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% |
| Commercial electricity | 10.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 31.8/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $122,540 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $80,060 |
| Wage: General manager | $95,640 |
| Wage: Customer service | $37,790 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $38,130 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $57,460 |
| Wage: Electrician | $53,730 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $30,520 |
| Cost of living index | 88 |
| Groceries index | 98 |
| Utilities | $155/mo |
| Transit pass | $55/mo |
| Gas price | $3.05/gal |
| Healthcare index | 100 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,050/mo |
| Median household income | $64,576 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% |
| Population | 44k |
| Crime index | 48/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 30/100 |
| Disaster risk | 81/100 |
| Avg. commute | 25 min |
| Sunny days / year | 213 days |
| July high | 87°F |
| January low | 30°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | +2.1% |
| Home price MoM | 0.0% |
| Rent YoY | +3.6% |
| Rent MoM | +0.6% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | 0.0% |
| Building permits YoY | — |
| Ocean coast | 199 mi |
| Big lake | 28 mi |
| Mountains | 36 mi |
| Major airport | 44 mi |
| Ski resort | 40 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Lenoir, NC · 18k
- Morganton, NC · 18k
- Statesville, NC · 30k
- Mooresville, NC · 52k
- Shelby, NC · 22k
Similar size
- Holly Springs, NC · 45k
- Indian Trail, NC · 42k
- Fuquay-Varina, NC · 40k
- Wilson, NC · 48k
- Monroe, NC · 37k
Real listings in Hickory
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Hickory a good place to run a business?
- North Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 2.25%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,135/wk; commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Hickory, NC?
- Hickory indexes at 88 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,064/mo and a acs median home value of $278,400.
- How much does a house cost in Hickory?
- The acs median home value in Hickory is $278,400 (Census ACS estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Hickory?
- A two-bedroom in Hickory rents for about $1,064/mo.