Health · Hickory

Hickory, NC health

On every measure CDC estimates, Hickory looks like North Carolina as a whole: no difference is outside the margin of error.

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Hickory

B-Health Grade

TownTapestry Health GradeNew

B⁻

Hickory’s Health Grade: B−

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Hickory is healthier than 50% of U.S. towns, and than 71% of towns with similar incomes.

C+Self-rated healthBPhysical distressB-Mental distressC+ObesityB-DiabetesB-SmokingBExercise

All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 50%

Less healthyHealthier

North Carolina towns we grade (455)Healthier than 51%

Towns with similar incomes, $48K–$81K (8,976)Healthier than 71%

Better than its income would suggest. Hickory is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is B−.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Hickory could be anywhere from C− to A−.

How the Health Grade works

Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in North Carolina ranking.
Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Hickory with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Hickory uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.

Report card

How Hickory compares with North Carolina

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Hickory adults…

38 of every 100 Hickory adults have high blood pressure

North Carolina: 37 in 100 · too close to call · margin 33.5–41.7%

Bars show Hickory; the black tick is North Carolina. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Hickory, betterHickory, worseToo close to callNorth Carolina

Get no exerciseshare of adults 24.9% Hickory
NC 23.8%

Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 31.7% Hickory
NC 34.2%

Binge drinkshare of adults 14.4% Hickory
NC 14.7%

Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 14.4% Hickory
NC 13.5%

0%10%20%30%40%

Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Hickory adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Carolina.

Yearly checkup

NC 80%

Dentist visit

NC 64%

Cholesterol check

NC 88%

Colon screening

NC 66%

Mammogram

NC 79%

Taking BP meds

NC 77%

1 in 9

working-age adults has no health insurance

Hickory 11.5% · North Carolina 1 in 10 (10.4%)

Mind & connection

How Hickory adults are doing

1 in 3Hickory adults feel lonely

33.3% · North Carolina 32.5% · too close to call

1 in 4Hickory adults have been diagnosed with depression

25.6% · North Carolina 24.2% · too close to call

1 in 4Hickory adults lack social or emotional support

22.7% · North Carolina 22.5% · too close to call

1 in 6Hickory adults are in frequent mental distress

16.9% · North Carolina 16.5% · too close to call

Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 6

Hickory adults worry about having enough food

16.5% · NC 15.2% · about the same

1 in 8

Hickory adults worry about keeping their housing

12.7% · NC 12.2% · about the same

1 in 12

Hickory adults were threatened with a utility shut-off

8.6% · NC 8.1% · about the same

1 in 11

Hickory adults lack reliable transportation

9% · NC 8.4% · about the same

13.9% of Hickory adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 12.3% across North Carolina.

Disability

Living with a disability

33.5%

of Hickory adults live with a disability (North Carolina 32%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs15.4%

Thinking or memory15.7%

Hearing8.1%

Errands alone9.1%

Vision5.9%

Dressing or bathing4.4%

Black tick: North Carolina. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Hickory

Hickory and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Hickory.

28.5%39.3%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#10 of 12towns on this map, healthiest first

Northlakes28.5%

Granite Falls31.3%

Brookford36.9%

Mountain View37%

St. Stephens37.7%

Conover37.9%

Hickory38%

Newton38.2%

Long View39.3%

Care in and near Hickory

2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Hickory, plus the nearest outside it. Nearest first.

Frye Regional Medical CenterHickory · 0.8 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Catawba Valley Medical CenterHickory · 3.6 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Caldwell Memorial HospitalLenoir · 17 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Atrium Health LincolnLincolnton · 18.4 mi · ★★★★★ · ER Directions Medicare profile

Kintegra at A Woman's ViewHickory · 0.4 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees · 6 sites in Hickory Directions to nearest site

Eastern Burke HcchConnelly Springs · 11.3 mi · community health center, sliding-scale fees Directions

! Primary careHickory's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Burke County · need score 13 of 25

! Dental careHickory's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Burke County · need score 17 of 25

! Mental healthHickory's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Burke County · need score 18 of 25

Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes). Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Distances are straight-line from the center of Hickory. Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

All 40 measures for Hickory

Measure	Hickory	Margin	North Carolina
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure	37.6%	33.5–41.7%	36.8%	about the same
High cholesterol	37.3%	33–41.5%	35.6%	about the same
Obesity	38%	30.5–46.1%	35.1%	about the same
Arthritis	28.5%	25.3–31.7%	26.9%	about the same
Depression	25.6%	21.9–29.4%	24.2%	about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)	14.6%	11.9–17.3%	13.9%	about the same
Asthma	11%	9.6–12.3%	10.8%	about the same
Cancer (not skin)	8.7%	7.9–9.5%	7.9%	about the same
Diabetes	12.5%	10.9–14.3%	12%	about the same
COPD	7.9%	7–8.8%	7.1%	about the same
Heart disease	7.1%	6.4–7.9%	6.6%	about the same
Stroke	3.9%	3.6–4.2%	3.6%	about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes	14.4%	12.6–16.4%	13.5%	about the same
Binge drink	14.4%	11.7–17.3%	14.7%	about the same
Get no exercise	24.9%	21–28.8%	23.8%	about the same
Sleep under 7 hours	31.7%	25.5–37.8%	34.2%	about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup	79.4%	75.7–82.6%	80%	about the same
Dentist visit	62.1%	58.2–65.4%	63.6%	about the same
Cholesterol check	87.1%	85.4–88.7%	87.5%	about the same
Colon screening	65.9%	60.6–70.4%	65.7%	about the same
Mammogram	78.1%	70.2–84%	78.7%	about the same
Taking BP meds	77%	74.1–79.7%	76.7%	about the same
No health insurance	11.5%	9.9–13.1%	10.4%	about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely	33.3%	28.4–38.5%	32.5%	about the same
Lack emotional support	22.7%	19.3–26.2%	22.5%	about the same
Frequent mental distress	16.9%	15–18.9%	16.5%	about the same
Fair or poor health	20.3%	18–22.7%	19%	about the same
Frequent physical distress	13.4%	11.9–15%	12.7%	about the same
Everyday needs
Food insecurity	16.5%	14.5–18.7%	15.2%	about the same
Housing insecurity	12.7%	11–14.4%	12.2%	about the same
Utility shut-off threat	8.6%	7.6–9.7%	8.1%	about the same
No reliable transportation	9%	8–10.1%	8.4%	about the same
Receive SNAP	13.9%	12.2–15.7%	12.3%
Disability
Any disability	33.5%	29.4–37.5%	32%
Walking or climbing stairs	15.4%	13.7–17.4%	14.2%
Thinking or memory	15.7%	13.9–17.5%	14.8%
Hearing	8.1%	7.2–9.1%	7.3%
Vision	5.9%	5.5–6.5%	5.3%
Dressing or bathing	4.4%	4.1–4.8%	4%
Errands alone	9.1%	8.2–10%	8.2%

About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Hickory door to door.

Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the North Carolina figure falls inside it, we don't call Hickory better or worse.

CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Hickory directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Carolina figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.