Lincolnton, NC vs Hickory, NC

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

MetricLincolnton, NCHickory, NC
Population11,78344,258
Median Household Income$46,320$64,576
Median Rent$965/mo$1,063/mo
Median Home Value$248,700$278,400
Cost of Living (US = 100)9789
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income47.8%37.1%
Poverty Rate22.7%17.1%
Unemployment Rate3.4% (county)3.9%
Violent Crime Rate /100k229561
Property Crime Rate /100k1,9562,910
Median AQI4142
Good AQI Days /yr—239
Summer Highs87°F86°F
Winter Lows32°F32°F
Snowfall6 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute25 min21.1 min
Hospitals12
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher14.416
College Degree Rate24%37.1%
Foreign-Born %7.9%9.6%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+12.5%+5.4%

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