Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton cost of living
Prices in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area run at 88.5 against a national average of 100, ranking it #323 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 59.6.
What drives the number
Prices in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton run at 88.5 where the national average is 100, so about 11.5 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #323 of 387 metro areas. Against North Carolina as a whole it is 5.8 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 59.6 against goods at 96.6 and other services at 87.8, so the overall figure of 88.5 understates how affordable the housing itself is. Services, which are priced by local wages, are what hold the overall number up.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 88.5 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,160 | $36,420 | $41,153 | $38,940 |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,840 | $28,810 | $32,554 | $34,580 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,750 | $37,440 | $42,305 | $37,090 |
| Cashiers | 3,670 | $27,070 | $30,588 | $31,190 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 3,520 | $38,670 | $43,695 | $42,210 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 3,420 | $52,280 | $59,073 | $57,440 |
| Nursing Assistants | 3,010 | $36,050 | $40,734 | $39,530 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 2,990 | $24,180 | $27,322 | $30,160 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 88.5.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | 98.2 | 103.5 | #111 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | 97.9 | 99.8 | #116 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 97.6 | 98.9 | #119 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | 97.3 | 97.6 | #122 |
| Asheville | 96.5 | 93.4 | #136 |
| Wilmington | 96.4 | 93.2 | #142 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton: common questions
Is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton expensive?
Prices are 11.5% below the national average, a parity of 88.5 where the country is 100. It ranks #323 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against North Carolina as a whole it is 5.8 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The median worker there earns $43,270, which buys what $48,893 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 59.6 against goods at 96.6. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.