Rental numbers for the Hickory, NC metro
The typical home here runs -$579 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 3.2%. 0 of 7 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this metro are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 6.5%.
- Gross yield
- 7.2%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 6.5%
- 7 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$579/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $269,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $1,618/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in the metro
21 with published figures
| 28602Hickory | $252,000 | $1,596 | 7.6% | 4.2% | -$482 | +2.3% |
| 28611Collettsville | $169,000 | $1,030* | 7.3% | 3.5% | -$422 | n/a |
| 28655Morganton | $260,000 | $1,475 | 6.8% | 3.4% | -$655 | n/a |
| 28645Lenoir | $218,000 | $1,228 | 6.8% | 3.3% | -$574 | n/a |
| 28658Newton | $258,000 | $1,403 | 6.5% | 3.2% | -$700 | n/a |
| 28636Hiddenite | $234,000 | $1,250* | 6.4% | 3.1% | -$658 | n/a |
| 28601Hickory | $306,000 | $1,462 | 5.7% | 2.6% | -$983 | +4.3% |
| 28678Stony Point | $273,000 | $1,250* | 5.5% | 2.4% | -$922 | n/a |
| 28612Connelly Springs | $239,000 | $1,080* | 5.4% | 2.1% | -$868 | n/a |
| 28690Valdese | $247,000 | $1,090* | 5.3% | 2.1% | -$909 | n/a |
| 28610Claremont | $260,000 | $1,140* | 5.3% | 2.1% | -$941 | n/a |
| 28609Catawba | $317,000 | $1,370* | 5.2% | 2.4% | -$1,084 | n/a |
| 28630Granite Falls | $258,000 | $1,110* | 5.2% | 2.1% | -$947 | n/a |
| 28673Sherrills Ford | $498,000 | $2,025 | 4.9% | 2.4% | -$1,707 | n/a |
| 28613Conover | $277,000 | $1,070* | 4.6% | 1.7% | -$1,103 | n/a |
| 28638Sawmills | $251,000 | $950* | 4.5% | 1.5% | -$1,040 | n/a |
| 28681Taylorsville | $269,000 | $980* | 4.4% | 1.4% | -$1,139 | n/a |
| 28168Vale | $297,000 | $1,060* | 4.3% | 1.4% | -$1,251 | n/a |
| 28650Maiden | $316,000 | $1,060* | 4.0% | 1.3% | -$1,365 | n/a |
| 28657Newland | $293,000 | $950* | 3.9% | 1.3% | -$1,267 | n/a |
| 28682Terrell | $527,000 | $1,694 | 3.9% | 1.4% | -$2,235 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +2.0%
- Rent, 12 months
- +3.4%
- Rent minus price growth
- +1.4 pts
- Property tax
- 0.60%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $208,024 | $1,249 |
| Aug 2022 | $239,960 | $1,436 |
| Aug 2023 | $249,087 | $1,458 |
| Aug 2024 | $263,463 | $1,492 |
| Aug 2025 | $263,733 | $1,565 |
| Aug 2026 | $269,037 | $1,618 |
Counties
- Catawba County, NC5.7% median yield
- Caldwell County, NC6.8% median yield
- Burke County, NC6.8% median yield
- Alexander County, NCn/a median yield
- Avery County, NCn/a median yield
Tools
Test a listing in the Hickory, NC area against today's rate.
Open the calculatorQuestions
- Is the Hickory, NC metro good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$579 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 3.2%. 0 of 7 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this metro are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 6.5%. Figures assume a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and the default costs on the methodology page.
- Which ZIP codes in the Hickory, NC metro have the highest rental yield?
- 28602 (Hickory) at 7.6%, 28655 (Morganton) at 6.8%, 28645 (Lenoir) at 6.8%, on Zillow value and rent. The full table above sorts by any column.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.