Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area

The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan area spans 4 counties and had 373,031 residents in 2024. Its economy produced $20.6 billion that year.

North Carolina4 countiesPart of Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC

GDP, 2024$20.6B#172 of 387 · +4.7% nominal

Income per person, 2024$55,363#294 of 387

Unemployment, 20253.8%#137 of 387 · #1 = lowest

Price level, 2024 (US = 100)88.5#323 of 387 · #1 = most expensive

Fig. 1Income, people and outputSums of BEA county estimates for the metro area

Hickory, NCUnited States

BEA county estimates (CAINC1, CAGDP1) summed over the 4 counties of the metro area; current dollars.

Industries, 2024

Share of the metro economy; blank where BEA suppresses a county figure.

Industry	Value added	Share	US share
Real estate	—	—	13.7%
Government	$2.1B	10.3%	11.1%
Manufacturing	$4.5B	21.8%	9.5%
Finance & insurance	$681M	3.3%	8.7%
Professional services	—	—	8.0%
Health care	—	—	7.5%
Wholesale trade	—	—	6.3%
Retail trade	$1.7B	8.4%	5.9%
Information	$317M	1.5%	5.7%
Construction	$833M	4.0%	4.3%
Transportation & warehousing	—	—	3.3%
Accommodation & food	$605M	2.9%	3.1%
Administrative & waste services	$697M	3.4%	3.0%
Other services	$508M	2.5%	2.0%
Management of companies	—	—	1.8%
Utilities	$683M	3.3%	1.6%
Mining, oil & gas	$30M	0.1%	1.3%
Education	—	—	1.1%
Arts & recreation	$149M	0.7%	1.0%
Agriculture	$278M	1.3%	0.8%

Fig. 2Unemployment rate since 2015Monthly, not seasonally adjusted, percent

BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, metropolitan areas.

OMB delineation of July 2023 (Census Bureau, list 1).

County	State	Type	FIPS
Alexander County	North Carolina	Outlying	37003
Burke County	North Carolina	Central	37023
Caldwell County	North Carolina	Central	37027
Catawba County	North Carolina	Central	37035