Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
North Carolina · Ranked #157 of 373 metros
80Affordable
💡
Housing in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton costs 3.96× the median income, below the national average of 4.5×. The median home price is $230K and median rent is $828/month. Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton ranks #157 of 373 metros for affordability.
Median Home Price
🏠$230K
Need $68K income
Median Rent
🔑$828
Need $33K income
Building Permits
🔨2,775
annual
Median Income
💰$58K
Pop: 392,575
Rent Burden
⚠️14.6%
of renters paying >30%
Homeownership
🏡73.0%
Rent Burden
vs. National Average
Key Facts vs. National Average
| Metric | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | National |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.96x | 6.1x |
| Rent Burden | 14.6% | 31.5% |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.0% | 65.5% |
| YoY Rent Change | 0% | +2.8% |
| Mortgage Denial Rate | 0.0% | 13.5% |
| Eviction Rate | 0.0% | 3.6% |
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Section 8 voucher payment standards
Studio$858/mo
1 Bedroom$908/mo
2 Bedroom$1,095/mo
3 Bedroom$1,372/mo
4 Bedroom$1,660/mo
Zillow Market Data
Home Value (ZHVI)
$262K
1yr: +0.9%5yr: +39.6%
Rent (ZORI)
$1,394/mo
1yr: +3.5%5yr: +45.0%
Note: ZORI reflects current listing prices and may differ from the Census ACS median rent shown above, which captures what renters actually pay including below-market and subsidized units.
Redfin Market Activity
Median Sale Price
$300K
Active Inventory
1,260
Days on Market
87
Sold Above List
20.7%
Price Drops
27.3%