Hickory, North Carolina is the economic center of the Catawaba River Valley. The Hickory region includes many of the leading furniture manufacturers. It is also one of the world's major producers of fiber optic cable. Hickory is headquarters to fiber cable maker, Corning Cable Systems and telecommunications cable manufacturer CommScope.
Praise for Hickory, North Carolina: Readers Digest named the Hickory Metro the 10th best place to live and raise a family in the nation. Forbes Magazine named the MSA (Hickory, Lenoir, Morganton) the 3rd best MSA in the nation for business cost. The region has been chosen by Inc Magazine as one of the nation's top entrepreneurial areas for traditional and high-tech industries.
In Hickory, the significant job providing segments are furniture and related products, healthcare, educational services, manufacturing, accommodation and food services, electrical equipment, appliances and components; and construction. About 31% of the workers are employed in management, professional and related occupations. Approximately 25% of the workers are employed in sales and office jobs. Production, transportation and material moving occupations comprise 22% of the labor force.
Facts about Hickory, North Carolina: Regarding the adult population, 28% have achieved a bachelor's degree or higher. In 2008 the cost of living index in Hickory was at 85.7. The national average is 100. In 2009 the average salary in Hickory was $28,000.
The major employers located in the Hickory region:
- Catawaba County Schools
- Frye Regional Medical Center
- CommScope, Inc
- Merchants Distributors, Inc
- Hickory Springs
- Catawaba Valley Medical Center
- Sherrill Furniture Co
- Catawaba County
- McCreary Modern
- CV Industries, Inc
- Shurtape Technologies, Inc
- Thomasville Furniture
- Newton-Conover City Schools
- Pierre Foods
- City of Hickory
- International Legwear (Ellis)
- Hickory Public Schools
- Gold Toe Moretz
- Ethan Allen, Inc
- Vanguard Furniture
Hickory businesses may want to contact these helpful organizations:
- Catawba Chamber of Commerce
- Catawba County Economic Development Corporation
- North Carolina Economic Developers Association, Inc
- Manufacturers and Chemical Industry Council of North Carolina
Hickory business and industry information is provided by the Hickory Daily Record.