Hickory Municipal Building · Photo: Tylerg · CC BY-SA 3.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Hickory is healthier than 70%
On every measure CDC estimates, Hickory looks like North Carolina as a whole.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Hickory. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Hickory
What’s behind Hickory’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hickory is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, #156 of 289 in North Carolina. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 62% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 36%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Hickory’s median household income is $64,576; among the 9,847 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($48K–$81K), it’s healthier than 70%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Hickory adults…
On every condition, Hickory is about the same as North Carolina. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Hickory
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Hickory, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Hickory; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with North Carolina
Share of adults, with the North Carolina figure marked.
8.1 miles of trails across 16 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Hickory adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.
How Hickory adults are doing
About the same as North Carolina on each measure.
1 in 3 Hickory adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13.9% of Hickory adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.
Hickory and the towns around it
Hickory’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 8 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | B− | 38% | 12.5% | 14.4% | CDC place |
| St. Stephens | B− | 37.7% | 12.5% | 15% | CDC place |
| Mountain View | B | 37% | 12.1% | 14.3% | CDC place |
| Long View | C | 39.3% | 12.9% | 16.7% | CDC place |
| Brookford | — | — | — | — | |
| Conover | C+ | 37.9% | 13.1% | 15.6% | CDC place |
| Northlakes | A | 28.5% | 10.4% | 10.6% | CDC place |
| Newton | C+ | 38.2% | 12.5% | 15% | CDC place |
Brookford: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Hickory adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Hickory
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Hickory is better than North Carolina on 0 and worse on 0; on the rest, the North Carolina figure falls inside Hickory’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Hickory | NC | U.S. | vs NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 20.3%18–22.7 | 19% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.4%11.9–15 | 12.7% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.9%15–18.9 | 16.5% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 38%30.5–46.1 | 35.1% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.5%10.9–14.3 | 12% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 37.6%33.5–41.7 | 36.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.3%33–41.5 | 35.6% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 28.5%25.3–31.7 | 26.9% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 11%9.6–12.3 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.7%7.9–9.5 | 7.9% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.1%6.4–7.9 | 6.6% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 7.9%7–8.8 | 7.1% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 3.9%3.6–4.2 | 3.6% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.6%11.9–17.3 | 13.9% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.4%12.6–16.4 | 13.5% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 24.9%21–28.8 | 23.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 14.4%11.7–17.3 | 14.7% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 31.7%25.5–37.8 | 34.2% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 11.5%9.9–13.1 | 10.4% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 79.4%75.7–82.6 | 80% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 62.1%58.2–65.4 | 63.6% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 87.1%85.4–88.7 | 87.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 77%74.1–79.7 | 76.7% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.9%60.6–70.4 | 65.7% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.1%70.2–84 | 78.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 25.6%21.9–29.4 | 24.2% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.3%28.4–38.5 | 32.5% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.7%19.3–26.2 | 22.5% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 16.5%14.5–18.7 | 15.2% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 12.7%11–14.4 | 12.2% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 8.6%7.6–9.7 | 8.1% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 9%8–10.1 | 8.4% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13.9%12.2–15.7 | 12.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 33.5%29.4–37.5 | 32% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 15.4%13.7–17.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 15.7%13.9–17.5 | 14.8% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.1%7.2–9.1 | 7.3% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 5.9%5.5–6.5 | 5.3% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 9.1%8.2–10 | 8.2% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%4.1–4.8 | 4% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Carolina figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Hickory
Is Hickory a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Hickory is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health, #156 of 289 in North Carolina. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Hickory?
CDC estimates 38% of adults have obesity, likely between 30.5% and 46.1%, against 35.1% across North Carolina and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Hickory?
Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory, 0.8 miles in a straight line from Hickory’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 2 of 5 stars.
How many people in Hickory have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 11.5% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 9.9–13.1%), against 10.4% across North Carolina.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Hickory more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Hickory.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.