Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 366,972 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area

What is the median household income in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area?: The median household income in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area is $60,255 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area is 10.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area?: $193,400 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area is $823 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 21.4% of adults in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

366,972

Median Income

$60,255

Median Home Value

$193,400

Poverty Rate

10.0%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

4.6%

Median Age

43.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$12,141 (+25.2%) Home Value: +$61,800 (+47%) Poverty Rate: -0.7 pp (-6.5%) Bachelor's+: +2.8 pp (+15.1%) Unemployment: -1.9 pp (-29.2%)

Demographics

Total Population 366,972

Median Age 43.0

Female 50.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 8.8% White (non-Hisp.) 78.4% Black 6.3% Asian 2.8% Two or More 5.7% Other 4.0%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Indian

0.1%

Filipino

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

4.5%

Puerto Rican

1.0%

Cuban

0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $60,255 ±$1,481

Per Capita Income $83,555

Median Family Income $73,517

Poverty Rate 10.0%

Child Poverty Rate 17.1%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 12.7%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 24.5%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.8%

$10–15k

4.0%

$15–25k

9.6%

$25–35k

9.2%

$35–50k

14.2%

$50–75k

18.4%

$75–100k

13.5%

$100–150k

15.6%

$150–200k

5.8%

$200k+

4.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 165,443

Owner-Occupied 74.3%

Renter-Occupied 25.7%

Vacancy Rate 10.7%

Median Home Value $193,400

Median Gross Rent $823

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 14.6%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 29.6%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

7.7%

$50–100k

11.7%

$100–200k

17.4%

$200–300k

24.3%

$300–500k

15.9%

$500k–$1M

6.4%

$1M+

1.4%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

12.7%

$500–1k

57.0%

$1–1.5k

24.9%

$1.5–2k

3.9%

$2–2.5k

0.9%

$2.5–3.5k

0.1%

$3.5k+

0.5%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

4.6%

1 vehicle

27.5%

2 vehicles

35.9%

31.9%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

69.8%

Single-fam. att.

2.2%

2–4 units

2.2%

5–19 units

2.7%

20+ units

1.9%

Mobile home

16.2%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

6.1%

1940–1969

5.0%

1970–1999

15.2%

2000–2009

14.1%

2010+

5.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 85.7%

Bachelor's or Higher 21.4%

Graduate Degree 6.7%

Some College / Associate 21.0%

Less Than High School 5.0%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 59.0%

Unemployment Rate 4.6%

Work from Home 6.6%

Self-Employed 5.5%

Government Workers 13.3%

Private For-Profit 80.9%

Industry

Manufacturing

24.5%

Edu/Health

20.4%

Retail

11.4%

Arts/Entmt.

7.7%

Prof. Services

7.0%

Construction

5.9%

Transportation

5.1%

Public Admin

4.0%

Finance

3.5%

Wholesale

3.1%

Information

1.2%

Agriculture

0.8%

Occupation

Management

32.5%

Production

23.9%

Sales

19.2%

Food Prep

15.1%

Construction

9.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 24.2 min

Drove Alone 81.9%

Carpool 9.8%

Public Transit 0.1%

Work from Home 6.6%

Walked 0.7%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 147,735

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 49.3%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 16.0%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.1%

5–9

5.4%

10–14

6.1%

15–19

6.0%

20–24

5.9%

25–34

11.9%

35–44

11.4%

45–54

13.7%

55–64

7.4%

65–74

7.2%

75–84

11.7%

85+

6.1%

Under 18: 20.4% Working age (18–64): 79.6% 65 and over: 19.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 5.3%

Naturalized Citizen 45.0%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 3.5%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

61.0%

Asia

26.6%

Europe

11.0%

Africa

0.2%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 6.6%

With a Disability 16.7%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 88.7%

Uninsured 11.3%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 85.6%

Has a Computer 91.2%

Same House 1 Year Ago 90.8%

Moved from Abroad 0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023