NEIGHBORSCORE

Hickory, North Carolina · ZIP 28602

Hickory — ZIP 28602

Crime DataSchools

Hickory (28602) scores 59/100 — Fair for Hickory. Safety: Higher reported-crime rate under the available data tier. Schools: Higher reported proficiency and grade-band coverage. A mid-range price profile for the state. The typical home value here is $258K.

59OUT OF 100

Overall NeighborScore

C-Fair

Tap a tab to compare 28602 against its city, state, or the nation.

Higher reported-crime rate under the available data tier.

Safety index45/100
Violent crime share16%
Property crime share84%

Higher reported proficiency and grade-band coverage.

School index74/100
Avg math proficiency61%
Avg reading proficiency60%
Schools nearby5

A mid-range price profile for the state.

Affordability index53/100
Typical home value$258K
Median rent$1,490/mo

How this score is calculated: the NeighborScore composite weights crime 53% and schools 47%, each normalized to the local area. Home affordability is shown for context and is not factored into the overall score. Sources & methodology →

Last refreshed — Schools: Aug 2026 · Real estate: Aug 2026 · Demographics: Jun 2026

Nearby Neighborhoods

Not the right fit? See how adjacent ZIPs score — tap to jump over.

Hickory, North CarolinaHickoryZIP 28601
58▼1 vs here
Newton, North CarolinaNewtonZIP 28658
58▼1 vs here
Granite Falls, North CarolinaGranite FallsZIP 28630
61▲2 vs here
Conover, North CarolinaConoverZIP 28613
76▲17 vs here

More ZIPs in Hickory

Hickory, North CarolinaHickoryZIP 28601
58▼1 vs here

Real Estate Snapshot

Typical Home Value

$258K

Median Rent

$1,490/mo

Days on Market

—

Sale-to-List

—

Typical Home Value — 23 Months

Median Rent — 24 Months

Crime Overview

Total Incidents

946

Violent Crime

152

Property Crime

794

Crime statistics for this area are estimated from FBI-reported county-level data for Catawba County, North Carolina (2025). This ZIP does not yet have city-specific monthly crime data, so figures reflect the entire county rather than this ZIP alone.

Full Crime Report →

Nearby Schools

Grades
Challenger Early College High09–12376
75%
98%
Mountain View ElementaryKG–06708
72%
62%
Longview Elementary03–05269
56%
36%
Grandview Middle06–08347
41%
46%
Southwest PrimaryPK–02292Not reportedNot reported

Directory and latest enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data (SY 2024–25 where reported). Proficiency: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts SY 2021–22; state standards are not directly comparable.

Note: schools marked “Not reported” (often small or specialized programs) lack state proficiency data and aren't included in the Schools score.

Full School Report →

Demographics

Population

29,273

Median Income

$62K

Homeownership

63%

Median Age

40.1 yrs

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2024).

Map

Frequently Asked Questions

ZIP 28602 has a reported-crime score of 45/100. A higher score represents a lower reported-crime rate under the best available data tier for this ZIP; it is not a guarantee of safety. Review the crime report and current local police data before making a decision.
ZIP 28602 has a school score of 74/100. The index combines reported SY 2021–22 math and reading proficiency with grade-band coverage. Nearby or county-level estimates may be used where ZIP-level reporting is sparse, and state assessment standards are not directly comparable.
The latest home value or sale-price figure available for ZIP 28602 is approximately $258K. The profile identifies the underlying source; Zillow ZHVI is a typical home value measure, while Redfin data is a median sale-price measure. These are different metrics and may lag current listings.
ZIP 28602 in Hickory has an overall NeighborScore of 59/100. It combines the crime score (53%) and school score (47%); affordability is context only. Use the component data and its coverage notes rather than treating the composite as a complete measure of livability.