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Market MapHickory, NC
Metropolitan Area

Hickory, NC

North Carolina03 counties
62
/100
Buy
#453 of 894 metros
Top 51% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$259,992
Median Home Price
6% above national median
$1,460/mo
Median Rent
5% above national median
6.74%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 33% nationally
-$414
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$259,992
Down Payment (20%)$51,998
Loan Amount$207,994
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,460
Monthly P&I-$1,363
Est. Expenses (35%)-$511
Net Cash Flow-$414/mo
4.4%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-8.3%
Cash-on-Cash Return
6.74%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

Run Full AnalysisTry House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
62/100
62
Cash Flow(30%)
67/100

Based on 6.74% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
59/100

Based on 1.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
74/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Above-average rent-to-price ratio (6.74%)
  • +Affordable relative to local incomes
  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)
  • +Multiple counties (3) for portfolio diversification

Challenges

  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$414/mo)
  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 4.4% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Counties in Hickory, NC

Best Overall
Alexander
NC - Score: 70
Best Cash Flow
Catawba
NC - Score: 58
Most Affordable
Burke
NC - Score: 54
Verdict
AlexanderNC
36,50570$254,184Est.BuyView
CatawbaNC
161,01158$284,827$1,4686.19%HoldView
BurkeNC
87,79954$244,189$1,1255.53%HoldView

Click any county to see detailed investment analysis

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Paducah, KY
Paducah, KY
82$165,710$1,2919.35%Strong BuyView
Indiana, PA
Indiana, PA
82$158,790$1,37610.40%Strong BuyView
Connersville, IN
Connersville, IN
82$158,083Est.Strong BuyView
Enid, OK
Enid, OK
81$137,435$1,0769.39%Strong BuyView
Danville, IL
Danville, IL
81$93,319$81510.48%Strong BuyView
Current
Hickory, NC
62$259,992$1,4606.74%Buy

The Bottom Line

BuyHickory, NC offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

The Hickory, NC metro area scores 62/100, ranking #453 of 894 US metros (top 51%). The 6.74% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential. Among 3 counties, Alexander shows the strongest investment potential (score: 70). Current metro-wide averages make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or drilling down to specific counties.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-414/mo
Cap Rate
4.4%
Cash-on-Cash
-9.5%

Ready to Invest in Hickory, NC?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties, or explore individual counties for more targeted opportunities.

Single Family1-4 unit rentalsHouse HackOwner-occupiedMultifamily5+ unit propertiesBest CountyAlexander
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