Hickory, NC vs Lincolnton, NC

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricHickory, NCLincolnton, NC
Population44,25811,783
Median Household Income$64,576$46,320
Median Rent$1,063/mo$965/mo
Median Home Value$278,400$248,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)8997
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income37.1%47.8%
Poverty Rate17.1%22.7%
Unemployment Rate3.9%3.4% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k561229
Property Crime Rate /100k2,9101,956
Median AQI4241
Good AQI Days /yr239—
Summer Highs86°F87°F
Winter Lows32°F32°F
Snowfall0 in/yr6 in/yr
Avg Commute21.1 min25 min
Hospitals21
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher1614.4
College Degree Rate37.1%24%
Foreign-Born %9.6%7.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+5.4%+12.5%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.