Hickory, NC vs Morganton, NC

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

MetricHickory, NCMorganton, NC
Population44,25817,646
Median Household Income$64,576$51,355
Median Rent$1,063/mo$944/mo
Median Home Value$278,400$221,700
Cost of Living (US = 100)8989
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income37.1%44.1%
Poverty Rate17.1%25.7%
Unemployment Rate3.9%3.9% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k561268
Property Crime Rate /100k2,9102,284
Median AQI42—
Good AQI Days /yr239—
Summer Highs86°F86°F
Winter Lows32°F30°F
Snowfall0 in/yr5 in/yr
Avg Commute21.1 min17.7 min
Hospitals22
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher1615.5
College Degree Rate37.1%26.1%
Foreign-Born %9.6%10.6%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+5.4%+2.3%

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