Hickory, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Union Square in Downtown Hickory | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: "Life Well Crafted." | |
 Location in North Carolina | |
| Coordinates: 35°44′26″N 81°19′20″W / 35.74056°N 81.32222°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| Counties | Catawba, Burke, Caldwell |
| Incorporated | 1870 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Hank Guess |
| • City manager | Warren Wood |
| Area | |
| • City | 31.14 sq mi (80.66 km2) |
| • Land | 31.04 sq mi (80.40 km2) |
| • Water | 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,158 ft (362 m) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • City | 44,084 |
| • Density | 1,401.05/sq mi (540.95/km2) |
| • Urban | 201,511 (US: 191st)[2] |
| • Urban density | 1,731.6/sq mi (668.6/km2) |
| • Metro | 368,347 (US: 151st) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 28601-28603 |
| Area code | 828 |
| FIPS code | 37-31060[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404693[3] |
| Website | www |
Hickory is a city in North Carolina primarily located in Catawba County and is the 25th most populous city in North Carolina. It is located approximately 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Charlotte. Hickory's population in the 2022 United States Census Bureau estimate was 44,084. Hickory is the main city of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 368,347 in the 2022 census.
In 2014, Reader's Digest named the Hickory metro area as the 10th best place to live and raise a family in the United States. Forbes named the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA the third best MSA in the country for business cost in the same year.[5] The Hickory MSA was also identified by Smart Growth America in 2014 as being the country's most sprawling metro area.[6] In 2023, Travel and Leisure rated Hickory as the most beautiful and affordable place to live in the U.S.[7]
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ "List of 2020 Census Urban Areas". census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hickory, North Carolina
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Economic Development". City of Hickory, North Carolina. Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- ^ "Measuring Sprawl 2014" (PDF). smartgrowthamerica.org]. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
- ^ "10 Most Beautiful and Affordable Places to Live in the U.S." Travel + Leisure. Retrieved October 30, 2024.