Cost of living in the Hickory Metro Area
4 counties across NC. Population: 366,972.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Hickory Metro Area
Average rent across the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Hickory Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 4 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Hickory Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Hickory Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 4 counties in the Hickory Metro Area
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area includes 4 counties. Sorted by population.
- Catawba County NC$2,876/moPop162,051 Rent$851/mo Income$64,544/yrCatawba County NC 162,051 $851/mo $64,544/yr $2,876/mo
- Burke County NC$2,775/moPop87,863 Rent$851/mo Income$55,684/yrBurke County NC 87,863 $851/mo $55,684/yr $2,775/mo
- Caldwell County NC$2,801/moPop80,618 Rent$851/mo Income$55,401/yrCaldwell County NC 80,618 $851/mo $55,401/yr $2,801/mo
- Alexander County NC$2,852/moPop36,440 Rent$851/mo Income$65,268/yrAlexander County NC 36,440 $851/mo $65,268/yr $2,852/mo
Compare counties in the Hickory Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Hickory Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Hickory Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area is approximately $2,833 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 4 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Hickory Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area is $851 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Hickory Metro Area?
Burke County, NC is the most affordable county in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area at approximately $2,775 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Hickory Metro Area?
Catawba County, NC is the most expensive county in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area at approximately $2,876 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Hickory Metro Area?
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro area covers 4 counties. The five largest by population are Catawba County, Burke County, Caldwell County, Alexander County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.