Northlakes offers waterfront living on Lake Hickory
Six miles from Downtown Hickory, Northlakes is a census-designated community in Caldwell County that borders a large swath of Lake Hickory. “There’s a road called Grace Chapel Road, and off of that, you’ve got several lakefront subdivisions which together make up Northlakes. There’s not much retail there. It’s basically all homes,” says Duke McLauchlin, a Realtor/Broker with Lake Hickory Realty, LLC and longtime Hickory resident. “We now have two restaurants on the lake and several marinas, so it’s a very popular place for those who love life by the water.” In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau reported just over 1,500 residents living in Northlakes, which only takes up an area of 1.5 square miles. The community’s first homes were laid out in the 1970s, and subdivisions sprang up across the neighborhood in the decades following. New home developments are still breaking ground in Northlakes as the community continues to grow. Residents are convenient to commercial amenities in nearby Hickory and the town of Granite Falls, which border either side of Northlakes in opposite directions along U.S. Route 321.
Many of the waterfront homes of Northlakes offer private docks and lake access.
Spending time outdoors with good company is a way of life for Northlakes residents.
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Single-family home subdivisions and lakefront estates
Subdivisions built in Northlakes during the late 20th century, like Gold Creek Estates, are typically characterized by ranch styles, bi-level homes and split-level properties that range from $300,000 to nearly $500,000. New construction communities have contemporary Craftsman-style builds and New Traditionals that cost anywhere between $350,000 and nearly $700,000. Lake Hickory surrounds Northlakes on three sides, and quite a few properties on the water come with private docks and lake access. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these waterfront estates also constitute some of the most expensive real estate in Northlakes, with some properties having sold for nearly $1.8 million. Much of the land in Northlakes has been developed, but some empty lots remain, both inland and by the shore. Inland lots sell for around $30,000, while lakefront parcels can cost around $100,000. Thanks to the community’s hilly terrain, even if a homeowner doesn’t have a house on the lake, they might still be able to enjoy views of the water. Mature forests run through the area, adding to the bucolic landscape; residents looking to remove trees here must first get permission from Duke Energy.
Northlakes has many older neighborhoods and home styles like well kept split levels.
Communities along the banks of Lake Hickory are highly sought after in Northlakes.
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Caldwell County Schools and colleges in Hickory
Northlakes students are zoned for the Caldwell County Schools district, which receives an overall B rating from Niche. Granite Falls Elementary serve prekindergarten through fifth grade and receives an A-minus from Niche, which ranked it as the top public elementary school in Caldwell County in 2025. Students in grades six through eight can attend Granite Falls Middle, rated B-plus, while secondary students are zoned for the B-rated South Caldwell High School. High school students can take courses at Caldwell Community College and receive college credits. In 2023, Appalachian State University, also known as App State, opened a satellite campus in Hickory, only 5 miles from Northlakes down U.S. Route 321. Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private Lutheran institution for higher education within a 20-minute drive.
The student body of Granite Falls Middle School is just over 500.
South Caldwell High School receives an overall rating of "B-" from niche.com.
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Lake Hickory recreation and the Riverwalk trail
Lake Hickory is the hub of outdoor recreation in Northlakes. Residents can dock their boats at any one of several marinas in the area, although homeowners of waterfront properties can usually keep their boats at private docks instead. “Lake Hickory’s very popular for boaters from Memorial Day to Labor Day. After that, you’ll mainly just see fishermen. It’s a pretty busy lake,” McLauchlin says. Part of the Catawba River chain of lakes, Lake Hickory covers more than 4,200 acres and has become a well-known tourist destination. Geitner Park is located just across the Highway 321 bridge and offers amenities like picnic pavilions, a boat ramp and access to the new Riverwalk paved trail, which opened in spring of 2024. Fishing is a popular activity at Geitner Park, and anglers like to cast lines from the park’s two piers or rocky alcoves along the shore. South of Geitner Park is Hickory City Park, which has a tennis court complex and access to a trail system for mountain biking and nature walks.
Northlakes residents enjoy the easy and convenient access to Lake Hickory.
The new Riverwalk takes Northlakes visitors for a beautiful nature walk on Lake Hickory.
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Dining in downtown Hickory and shopping at Valley Hills Mall
Several fast-food restaurants and a shopping plaza with a Walmart Supercenter are located just outside Northlakes on Highway 321. Still, a lot of residents opt to dine out in downtown Hickory, which has a collection of restaurants and breweries that continues to grow as more businesses open in the city. At places like City Walk Brewery, patrons can dine in an indoor patio and browse a menu stocked with house brews. Upstairs is Cranford Brother’s Barbecue, known for its open kitchen and brisket. Ten miles from Northlakes is the Valley Hills Mall, an indoor mall with several department stores, dozens of clothing retailers and a food court. Right next door is Hickory Furniture Mart, a four-story outlet that generates commercial tourism. “When I think of Hickory, I think of furniture,” McLauchlin says. “I can even remember when I grew up in Florida, one of my best friends’ moms went to Hickory for furniture shopping. And there still are people who come here just for that.” Bordering Northlakes is the Factory Owned Furniture Outlet Mall, home to furnishing retailers like Kincaid and Bernhardt.
Northlakes residents are minutes from the popular shopping destination of Valley Hills Mall.
The patrons and decor are enough to make any day more fun for Northlakes locals.
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Access to U.S. Route 321
With narrow roads, few sidewalks and no public transit services, Northlakes residents are almost entirely dependent on personal cars. To accommodate parking, most homes have paved driveways and attached garages. U.S. Route 321 borders Northlakes and takes commuters down to Hickory and up to Lenoir, passing through smaller towns like Granite Falls. “We’re far away enough from Charlotte that we don’t have to deal with the traffic,” McLauchlin says, though he notes that some residents opt to make the 60-mile commute to The Queen City for work and play. The nearest commercial airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, is just a few miles outside Charlotte’s downtown area. Seven miles from Northlakes is the Frye Regional Medical Center, which has a 24-hour emergency department and several specialty centers.
Holiday celebrations on Lake Hickory
Northlakes is one of many communities that celebrate Independence Day on Lake Hickory, which has become a popular holiday for boaters. “The Fourth of July on the lake is huge. It’s so crowded, and there are boats as far as the eye can see. Depending on where you are, you can also see the fireworks from Crawdads Stadium,” McLauchlin says, referring to the fireworks show at the home stadium of the town’s Single-A minor league baseball team. McLauchlin also mentions the popularity of the Lake Hickory Christmas Parade, featuring caroling, live music and a festive flotilla of decorated boats led by Santa Claus.
Written By
Hayley Simms
Photography Contributed By
Justin Stapp
Video By
Rebecca Askin
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