EZ Home Search Guide to Living in Catawba County, NC 

If you are seeking adventure, great economic opportunity, and a robust lifestyle, try Catawba County, North Carolina. The quality of life is high in the Appalachian foothills northwest of Charlotte. Residents enjoy arts and culture, sports, outdoor recreation, retailers, and restaurants.  

In Catawba County, the robust towns still have that quaint feeling of yesteryear but offer modern conveniences of a big-city lifestyle. Choose between living along the shores of Lake Norman, the farms of the rolling Piedmont hills, or the foothill towns. Explore the guide to learn more about life in Catawba County. 

About Catawba County

Catawba County is part of North Carolina’s Piedmont Region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Catawba River runs along the northern and eastern border on its way to South Carolina. 

Three lakes provide miles of shoreline and water recreation: Lake Hickory, Lookout Shoals Lake, and Lake Norman. The latter is a massive reservoir with 520 miles of shoreline and a popular recreation destination. It’s the largest manmade lake in North Carolina.

Catawba County is relatively close to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. It can be reached within 45 minutes. Jump on Interstate 40, and you’ll be in Charlotte and its urban amenities in about an hour. Its neighbors are Iredell, Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Lincoln Counties.

The mountains shelter the land, creating moderate winter temperatures and refreshing summer breezes. The average year-round temperature is 69F. In January, the lows average 31F and the highs 53F. July is the hottest month, with a 90F average high and 69F low. The rainiest months are from May to July. 

Catawba County residents have lots of amenities for their low cost of living. According to the Best Places Cost of Living Index, Catawba County averages 86.4. The national average is set at 100. The most expensive costs are in healthcare, while the least expensive category was housing. 

Catawba County History

Founded in 1842 from Lincoln County, Catawba County is named for the Catawba Indians that once inhabited the land. Early European settlers had origins in Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, and Ireland.

The county seat of Newton was named after Isaac Newton Wilson, a member of the North Carolina General Assembly who proposed the county’s creation. It took several years for the legislature to approve the county’s establishment. 

Even before it became a county, Catawba, particularly the town of Hickory, was an important furniture manufacturing center. The region has also been important for producing textiles. Manufacturing remains an integral part of Catawba County. Today, it is a major producer of telecommunications equipment and cables. 

Catawba County was briefly part of the North Carolina Gold Rush at the turn of the century. It was one of the largest gold-producing areas in the entire country. 

Catawba County Cities and Areas

City of Hickory

In the northeast area, Hickory acts as a regional hub for commerce and recreation in Catawba County. It has a thriving downtown with many local shops, a craft beer scene, and arts and cultural centers. National Geographic honored Hickory as one of the 2018 Best Small Cities in America.

City of Newton

Newton is known for its downtown business district, which has experienced a significant revitalization to promote local retail and dining. The updated downtown has an outdoor amphitheater, bike lanes, and park space. Centrally located in Catawba, Newton is also the county seat. 

Conover

Founded in 1876 at a railroad intersection, Conover has a rich industrial heritage. It has a central location in Catawba County and has excellent access to major roads like I-40, plus commerce, manufacturing, and lifestyle amenities. The Downtown Conover Station project has a six-acre environmental education park tree. The Lyle Creek Greenway has been added to the Carolina Thread Trail system.

Claremont

This city on the county’s eastern side is known as a progressive small town. There are many family events held throughout the year in the city park and on Main Street. Over 6,000 eggs are hidden around the park at the annual Easter egg hunt. In October at Claremont Daze, vendors set up along Main Street, and two large stages host live performances. Claremont is also a logistical hub for many of the area’s local manufacturers. 

Other small towns in Catawba County include Brookford, Maiden, Longview, and Catawba. These towns often have a long history that adds to their charm and character.

Catawba County Job Market

The Catawba County area has ranked as one of the best areas in the United States for low business costs. It’s one of the reasons it’s attracted over 30 internationally owned firms, many of which are involved with manufacturing. These include Smart Electric, CertainTeed, Poppelmann Plastics, and Klingspor Abrasives.

Manufacturing is vital to Catawba County’s economy. Around 28% of all local workers are engaged in the manufacturing industry. In total, there are over 425 manufacturers, and they employ over 25,000 people. 

While many manufacturers were textile mills ages ago, today, the facilities are advanced facilities that provide high-value products such as handcrafted furniture, automotive components, plastics, and fiber optics. 

The unemployment rate as of November 2021 for Catawba County stood at 3.5%. This was in line with the entire Lenoir-Hickory-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area and lower than the North Carolina rate of 3.88%. 

Some of the county’s largest employers include CommScope and Corning Optical Communications. These also happen to be some of the world’s largest suppliers of fiber-optic cables. 

Catawba County is also a significant data center in the North Carolina Data Center corridor. Investing companies include Google, Facebook, Apple, and Bed Bath & Beyond. 

The top employers based on the number of employees as of 2020 included Catawba County Schools, Catawba Valley Medical Center, CommScope, Corning Optical Communications, Target Stores Distribution Center, Catawba County, Frye Regional Medical, JKN Driveline, Sutter Street Manufacturing, and Catawba Valley Community College. 

Catawba County Real Estate Market 

If you’re looking for real estate in Catawba County, you’re in luck. You will find a range of housing choices from historic homes to new construction to condominiums. Live lakeside or in a charming small town.

Based on real estate data for the Catawba Valley in September 2021, median sales prices were trending up across 2020-2021. They have been rising since a relatively stable period that ended in 2015. The median price for a Catawba County home was $230,000. 

The days on market until sale stood at 22, which was down 48% year-over-year. Catawba County had a one-month supply of inventory, which was down 41% from September 2020. 

Overall, new listings were up 20% for the year-to-date. However, the median sales price was up 17.5% for that same time frame. 

Looking closer at real estate in the local cities:

• Hickory had 2.6% more listings in September 2021. The median sales price stood at $242,450, up 24.3% YOY. The month’s supply of inventory was 0.8, down 46.7%. Median sales prices have been rising more steadily since January 2019.
• Newton reported a median sales price of $191,500, a 14.4% decline. The days on market until sale stood at 19, which was 57% faster than the same time in 2020. The month’s supply of inventory was 1.4, a 12.5% decline.

Catawba County residents paid a 0.5750 property tax rate in 2021. The last re-evaluation year was in 2019, and the county is scheduled for a revaluation in 2023. 

According to the Census, around 70% of all Catawba County housing was owner-occupied. 

Catawba County Population 

Catawba County reported 160,610 residents in the April 2020 US Census, a 3.9% growth rate over ten years. The average resident was 41 years old in 2019. Most Catawba County residents were under 18 years of age, followed by the over-65 demographic. Around 69% of the population lived in an urban area.

Demographically, around 75% of residents identified as white alone. Approximately 10% identified as Hispanic or Latino and 9% identified as African-American alone. Catawba County had 4.5% residents identify as Asian alone. 

Around 23% of residents had a bachelor’s degree or higher. Another 34% had some college or an associate’s degree, making the area highly educated. The median household income for Catawba County residents was $52,436 in 2019. 

Catawba County Education 

For K-12 education, Catawba County has three public school systems serving local youth. Which public school system applies to you depends on where you live. In total, Catawba County has 44 public schools. 

Catawba County Schools

The largest of the three public school districts, Catawba County operates 28 schools and enrolls over 15,600 students. It operates 16 elementary schools, six middle schools, six high schools, and two alternative schools. Its programming includes Head Start and Pre-K. 

Hickory City Schools

The second-largest school district enrolls just over 4,000 students in nine schools. It operates five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one career and arts magnet school. 

Newton-Conover City Schools

It may be the smallest school district, operating just seven schools for around 3,000 students, but Newton-Conover has received many accolades. This school district had the highest graduation rate in North Carolina’s history at 97.1% in 2015. The district’s Discovery High School located in Newton was awarded a silver medal by US News & World Report in May 2018, indicating it ranks in the top 10% of high schools across the entire United States. It has three elementary schools, one middle school, one alternative school, and two high schools. 

Private education

Families also have over 12 private schools to select from. Some top-ranked schools include Hickory Christian Academy, Tabernacle Christian School, and University Christian High School. The majority of the private schools are religiously affiliated. 

Catawba Valley Community College

Offering two-year associate’s degrees, Catawba Valley is the local community and technical training college. The institution enrolls around 6,000 students. The programs include continuing education, manufacturing, and industrial. Special courses are available in computer engineering, electrical systems, industrial systems, and mechatronics engineering.

Lenoir-Rhyne University

A four-year liberal arts school in Hickory, Lenoir-Rhyne enrolls over 2,000 students a year. Popular degrees are in business administration, computer science, information technology, management, and marketing.

Appalachian State University at Hickory

Part of the North Carolina University system, Appalachian State is a four-year public university with a satellite location serving Catawba and surrounding counties. Key majors include communication, management, and a master of business administration.

North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies

Known as NCCET, this school in Hickory offers vocational and technical training in various disciplines through Appalachian State. Students can take courses and certifications in engineering technology, industrial distribution and logistics, engineering, technology, and a master of Science and Engineering Management. 

Catawba County Health Care 

The Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit 258-bed hospital with multiple major specialties. The facility acts as a regional referral center. It has the busiest emergency department in the region. 

The operator runs eight primary care practices across the area. It also provides a range of acute and specialty care services. Various credentialing institutions have recognized Catawba Valley Medical Center for women’s care, patient experience, orthopedics, cancer care, and stroke care.

Frye Regional Medical Center is a 355-bed acute care facility that operates as Duke LifePoint Healthcare. It is located in downtown Hickory. It has a full-service cardiology department and on-site heart surgery facility. The main campus also has a birthing center and pediatric unit, a full-service cancer center, a bariatric surgery program, neurosciences, and rehabilitation facilities.

Catawba County Things to Do

Catawba County is a beautiful place to enjoy the outdoors. Along the Catawba River, residents enjoy boating, fishing, and other forms of water recreation. More water sports are available at one of the three wide-open lakes. The most expansive is the manmade Lake Norman and its miles of shoreline.

There are numerous park facilities, such as Baker’s Mountain Park and Riverbend Park. The Zahra Baker All Children’s Playground is popular for families because it is accessible to children of all abilities and has multiple playsets. 

Catawba County is rich in arts and culture. Residents can take in shows at The Green Room Community Theater or the Hickory Community Theater, one of North Carolina’s oldest performing groups. Hickory Arts is the local venue promoting local artists and helping develop arts in the area. The Western Piedmont Symphony is headquartered in Catawba County. 

Residents have ample opportunities for outdoor sports and recreation. Rock Barn Golf & Spa hosted the Great Hickory Classic, a PGA Tour Champions Tour event. The facility is one of four golf courses available.

Local festivals include the Old Soldiers Reunions Celebration, Big Sunday at Balls Creek Campground, the Strawberry Festival and Craft Show, and Oktoberfest. The Old Soldiers Reunions Celebration started after the Civil War to honor Catawba County’s military personnel. This festival held the third week of August, is the oldest continuing patriotic celebration in the United States. 

Catawba County Local Attractions

Hickory Crawdads

The Class A Minor League Baseball Team was the 2015 South Atlantic League champions. The club is affiliated with the Texas Rangers. 

Hickory Motor Speedway

Known as the birthplace of NASCAR Stars, The Hickory Motors Speedway is one of the nation’s most famous short tracks. Operating since 1951, it has been reconfigured three times. It has played a prominent role in NASCAR throughout the years and is still used as a venue for NASCAR’s Club racing division. The venue has a full schedule of racing from March to October. 

Catawba Science Center

Stop by with the whole family to explore a science-technology children’s museum with hands-on exhibits. Inside the 35,000 square-foot facilities are salt and freshwater aquarium galleries, a digital planetarium theater, science labs, and a naturalist center. 

Hickory Museum of Art 

The museum promotes the Arts in a four-county region, including Catawba, Caldwell, Berg, and Alexander counties. It is committed to creating a community of visual arts. Exhibits highlight American Art, Southern Folk Art and include rotating exhibitions. 

Catawba County Dining 

Catawba County has an expansive dining scene with homegrown restaurants and local breweries.

If you enjoy a good meal, you will find over 100 restaurants to choose from. Catawba County has everything from fast food like Bojangles’, Cook-Out, and Burger King, to all kinds of high-end restaurant styles. You’ll find globally-inspired cuisine from Jamaica to Vietnam. 

Catawba County Shopping

Find over 90 specialty stores and carts at the Valley Hills Mall, including major department store chains. The mall includes a 28-foot antique carousel in the food court and a Speedway soft play area for the kids.

Hickory Furniture Mart is a popular destination for those seeking a deal on high-quality furniture. The Mart has a selection of domestic and imported furnishings. You will find 100 factory outlets and galleries inside of the four-level facility. The building also includes a restaurant, coffee shop, lounge, tea room, and shipping service.

Around Catawba County, other shopping malls are home to more nationally-known chains such as Hobby Lobby, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ross, TJ Maxx, Target, and Walmart. 

If you enjoy finding locally-sourced goods, try one of the many farmer’s markets that take place around Catawba County. Downtown Hickory, Newton, and Conover are destinations for local boutique retailers.

Living in Catawba County

In the Appalachian foothills, you will find a robust lifestyle with many modern conveniences. Catawba County residents get a great mix of urban living with small-town charm. Nearby are opportunities to hike, bike, and fish. Families have access to outstanding school systems and employment opportunities. Catawba County offers a well-rounded lifestyle, all with an affordable cost of living.