City of Hickory - General Information

Hickory at a Glance

General Information

Hickory is located in North Carolina's Piedmont region, 50 miles northwest of Charlotte and 80 miles east of Asheville. Hickory was incorporated in 1870 and is the geographic and economic center of North Carolina's fourth largest Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The city spans approximately 28 square miles and is intersected by Interstate 40, US Highway 321 and US Highway 70. The city is located primarily within Catawba County, but its borders extend into portions of Burke and Caldwell Counties.The City has operated under the council/manager form of government since 1913, and it was just the third jurisdiction in the United States to adopt this method of government. The City Council is comprised of a mayor and six council members representing area wards who are elected to staggered terms on a bipartisan basis in a city-wide election. The City Council is the policy-making and legislative authority of the City. It is responsible for adopting the annual budget, approving zoning and planning issues and other matters related to the health and welfare of the City. The Council makes appointments to various boards and commissions and appoints the City Manager. The City Manager is the Chief Executive Officer and is responsible for enforcement of laws and ordinances, delivery of services, implementing policies, managing daily operations and appointing department heads.

Date of original charter (as Hickory Tavern)	1863
Date of Incorporation	1870
Form of Government	Council/Manager
Land area	25.46 sq. miles
Altitude	1,189 ft. above sea level
Latitude	35°, 44' N
Longitude	81°, 23' W

Demographics

Year	Population (1)	Per Capita Income (2)	Median Age (3)	Average Unemployment Rate (4)
2002	38,604	$27,514	37.4	9.9%
2003	38,896	$27,381	34.6	9.4%
2004	38,973	$28,235	36	7.8%
2005	39,018	$29,246	36.4	5.2%
2006	40,212	$30,553	N/A	4.6%
Sources: (1) Chamber of Commerce (2) U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (3) U.S. Bureau of the Census, Catawba County (4) Employment Security Commission

For more information visit the city’s demographics webpage

Weather

Average temperature	58.3 degrees Fahrenheit
Hottest month	July
Coldest month	January
Average annual rainfall	49 inches
Average annual snowfall	10 inches
Weather information from 1996 Weather America

City Services and Facilities
Tax Rate	50 cents per $100 valuation of property
Annual Budget (2007-2008)	$42,268,644
Number of Employees	Full-time: Part-time: Temporary/Seasonal:	660 68 39
Miles of Streets	231.92 miles paved 1.68 miles unpaved
Water and Sewer System
Number of service connections	38,984 (approx.)
Miles of water mains	907
Maximum water treatment capacity	32 MGD
Miles of sewer mains	494
Maximum sewer treatment capacity	15.25 MGD
Number of fire hydrants	4,535
Fire Protection
Number of stations	7
Paid Fire Personnel	125
Fire Insurance Rating	Class 3
Police Protection
Sworn Police Officers	114
Parks and Recreation
Number of Parks	23
Park Acreage	473 acres
Swimming Pools	3
Recreation Centers	6
Senior Centers	2
Professional Baseball Stadium	1
Libraries
Number of facilities	2
Circulation Per Capita	10.63
Transportation
Highways serving area	I-40, US 321, US 70
Railroad	Norfolk Southern
In-City Bus Service	Piedmont Wagon
Parcel Service	UPS, FedEx, RPS
Airport	Hickory Regional Airport
Charter Service	Profile Aviation Center (828-322-6044)
Airport Restaurant	Froggy Pete’s Restaurant (828-324-7800)
Car Rentals	Budget (828-328-2216) Thrifty (828-327-6588)

Medical Facilities

Hickory is served by two hospitals: Frye Regional Medical Center and Catawba Valley Medical Center

Education

Hickory is home to a private college and a community college.

Lenoir Rhyne College (www.lrc.edu)

Lenoir-Rhyne College is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the Lutheran Church. It has an enrollment of 1,426.

Catawba Valley Community College (www.cvcc.cc.nc.us)

Catawba Valley Community College is a public institution affiliated with the North Carolina Community College System. It has an enrollment of 6,536.

Catawba County Schools (www.catawba.k12.nc.us)

Hickory City Schools (www.hickoryschools.net)

Business Information

For more information please visit the city’s economic development website

Ten Largest Taxpayers
Taxpayer	Type of Business	2006 Assessed Valuation
MDI Management Inc.	Grocery Wholesale	$119.248,121
Corning Cable Systems	Communications	89,099,468
Valley Hills Mall	Retail	48,206,516
Amiret (Frye) Inc.	Healthcare	42,616,300
Duke Power	Utility	35,713,663
Shurtape Technologies	Manufacturer	32,758,176
Central Telephone Company	Communications	29,858,945
Tate Blvd., LLC	Healthcare	28,590,000
American Med. International	Healthcare	25,585,481
Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company	Furniture	22,980,648
Source: Hickory Finance Department