A city for doers and makers in the Blue Ridge foothills
The verdant, rolling hills of North Carolina’s Piedmont region form the backdrop of Hickory, a city approximately 44,000-residents-strong just an hour’s drive of Charlotte. U.S. News named Hickory the 26th “Best Place to Live in the United States” for 2025, a distinction many locals insist is well-deserved on account of the community’s location and affordability.
“Hickory’s a sweet little town where people have quick access to the mountains, affordable housing compared to the aggressive market of Charlotte, and seasonal events downtown which are walkable from many neighborhoods,” says lifelong resident Hope Rogers, Realtor with Better Homes and Garden. “Once you’re part of this community, you’re part of it.”
The motto of Hickory is “Life. Well Crafted,” an homage to the furniture industry which fueled the town’s growth in the early 20th century and gave it the reputation as “The Furniture Capital of the World.” And from the boutiques of Union Square to the museums and exhibitions hosted by the SALT Block, Hickory remains a haven for artists and innovators. “We like to say Hickory is for doers and makers seeking a well-rounded community,” says Sarah Killian, communications specialist for the city. “We have a lot to offer in a small package.”
Locals of West Hickory-Westmont can enjoy a day on the water at the nearby Lake Hickory.
Union Square brings residents and visitors to Downtown Hickory for various events and more.
Downtown Hickory and all the entertainment is a stone's throw away from West Hickory-Westmont.
The Hickory Furniture Mart features the history of the industry that built Downtown Hickory.
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Affordable homes compared to larger nearby cities
Hickory has consistently made U.S. News’ top 25 “Most Affordable Places to Live in the U.S.” list, appearing at #6 for their 2025 rankings. As of December 2024, the median home price is about $305,000 and roughly $100,000 below the national median.
Bungalows, ranch-style homes and national-style builds in neighborhoods south of downtown like Kenworth start around $150,000, though New Traditional homes and custom builds overlooking Lake Hickory in neighborhoods like Northlakes can sell for $1 million or higher. Claremont offers historic Colonial Revival and Queen Anne homes from the late 1800s through the 1930s, prices typically going from $200,000 to $700,000. Townhouses are concentrated on the east side of town in neighborhoods like Viewmont, usually priced between $200,000 and $400,000.
Beautiful colonial revival style homes are able to be seen on almost every street in Claremont.
The neighborhood streets of Green Park offer locals walks along well kept sidewalks and lawns.
Brick ranch homes showcase long standing and well maintained properties throughout Green Park.
Green Park is a quickly growing are of Hickory with lots of opportunity with investment homes.
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Local shops and restaurants by Union Square, and outlets by U.S. 70
“The town’s grown so much in the past 5 years, and what I love about it is it’s been local businesses that are growing,” Rogers says. Local shops and restaurants overlook Downtown Hickory’s walkable Union Square. The square is also the location of a farmers market, which runs semiweekly during the summer and weekly otherwise. Additional commercial zones line U.S. Route 70 such as Valley Hills Mall, a two-story, indoor shopping center. The Hickory Furniture Mart invites visitors to explore four stories of furniture shops and galleries and proves that the town’s foundational industry is still alive and well.
Downtown Hickory has so much to offer just blocks away for Kenworth residents.
Olde Hickory Station is a fun stop for Claremont locals when in the downtown area for a bite.
Families especially enjoy the Valley Hills Mall that even has a carousel for Claremont visitors.
The Hickory Furniture Mart is a massive shopping center with various vendors in one stop.
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Numerous city parks and educational programming at the SALT Block
The City of Hickory manages 26 parks. Geitner Park offers forested walking trails and a public boat ramp for accessing Lake Hickory, a 4,000-acre reservoir on the Catawba River. Glenn C. Hilton Jr. Park invites visitors to explore additional trails including a boardwalk which meanders through marshland or launch canoes into Lake Hickory.
The municipal government has recently rolled out several paved multiuse trails such as the City Walk which runs parallel to downtown’s railroad. The Hickory Crawdads, a Minor League Baseball team, play at L. P. Frans Stadium on the west side of town, which has become nicknamed Crawdads Stadium.
“We have a vibrant arts and culture scene that you’d expect to see in cities twice our size,” Killian says. The SALT Block, short for Science, Arts, Literature Together is a cornerstone of the community and home to the Hickory Museum of Art, the Catawba Science Center and various organizations such as the Hickory Choral Society. The Carolina Movie Theater, a 1930s-era cinema, in Downtown Hickory screens both classics and recent blockbusters.
The Blue Ridge Mountains to the northwest of Hickory and a few ski resorts such as Beech Mountain are roughly a 60 miles drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 40 miles north in Blowing Rock.
Popular with local families during a visit to downtown Hickory is Lowes Foods Park.
Oakwood-Hillcrest can easily take a stroll along the gorgeous trails on Lake Hickory.
Families especially enjoy the large aquatic fun area at Kiwanis Park in Hickory.
Forest Hills residents can practice their skills at the Carolina Pickleball Club nearby.
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Hickory Oktoberfest and other seasonal events
Drinks flow every second weekend of October, when Union Square is awash with beer tents, food vendors and family-friendly activities for Oktoberfest. Friday evenings during the spring and fall, Union Square is the location of the Sails Original Music Series, where both regional and international musicians perform.
Residents on the north side of Hickory have plenty of annual events to enjoy as well. In early December, a flotilla of decorated boats with Santa Claus at the helm sails Lake Hickory to inaugurate the holiday season. And on Independence Day, the fireworks from Crawdads Stadium are visible from the lake, leading many to watch the show from their boats.
Green Park families can enjoy the local Kool Pool with its awesome natural rock surroundings.
West Hickory-Westmont locals are able to see a Crawdad's game at the local stadium nearby.
The massive and gorgeous Lake Hickory is a great local destination for Kenworth residents.
Lenoir-Rhyne University draws Saint Stephens locals in crowds for home games at the stadium.
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Hickory City Schools and Lenoir-Rhyne University
The Hickory City Schools district serves approximately 4,000 students and earns a B rating from Niche. The district’s B-rated Hickory High has the only orchestra in Catawba County. Hickory High has seen athletic success in recent years, the Red Tornadoes football team winning the 2023 North Carolina 3A state championships. Through the B-plus-rated Hickory Career and Arts Magnet School, students can pick from seven different career academies and earn college credit and industry certification on top of a high school diploma.
Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private higher educational institution with Lutheran roots in Hickory’s Viewmont neighborhood. The school offers more than 50 undergraduate and 20 graduate programs, plus seminary degrees. Catawba Valley Community College sits on the southeast edge of Hickory, and in 2023, Appalachian State University opened a campus in the city.
The entrance to Hickory High School.
Lenoir-Rhyne University is a well regarded private institution nearby for Highland residents.
Residents of Forest Hills are a few minutes from Appalachian State University's Hickory campus.
Catawba Valley Community College offers affordable continuing education courses for locals.
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At the crossroads of Interstate 40, U.S. highways and industry
U.S. Route 70 passes through the southern end of Hickory, as does Interstate 40, a major expressway which runs east to Greensboro and Raleigh and west to Asheville. U.S. Route 321 runs about 40 miles north to Blowing Rock and 8 more miles north to Boone. The Western Piedmont Regional Transit Authority operates several Greenway Public Transportation bus lines which run through Hickory’s core neighborhoods such as Oakwood-Hillcrest and Kenworth.
The non-commercial Hickory Regional Airport on the west side of the city provides aircraft storage, an aviation museum and a shuttle called the Hickory Hop to the much larger Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Otherwise, the CLT airport is a 50-mile drive south, as is the city of Charlotte, roughly.
Frye Regional Medical Center sits in the Claremont neighborhood. Along with Corning, CommScope and HSM, which is a holding company for manufacturers, the hospital is one of Hickory’s biggest employers.
The Catawba County Sherriff’s Office runs the Citizens Academy
According to the FBI, Hickory saw a 13% decrease in both violent crime and property crime between 2022 and 2023. Violent crime rates remain on par with North Carolina and the United States as a whole, while property crime rates in Hickory are slightly higher than state and national averages. Killian, who grew up in the city, says it’s remained relatively safe and fosters strong police-citizenship relationships. The seasonal Citizens Academy run by the Catawba County Sherriff’s Office informs locals on police procedures.
Hickory experiences four seasons, with humid summers and cool winters.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
