Typical home value
$269,037
What a typical home sells for across the Hickory area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 12% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $88 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 88.5 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 1 hr 9 min at rush hour
To downtown Charlotte, NC, 62 miles. About 1 hr 7 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
24 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
1 within 15 miles
The nearest is about 11.3 miles from the town center (Google). The largest is about 3,407,000 sq ft.
Source: Varro's map of data center buildings, updated July 2026
Homeowners insurance
About $3,124 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in NC. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Median household income
$64,544
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.6% of home value a year
About $600 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.99%
NC's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026