Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC · North Carolina
Alexander County
ZIP 28681
36,440 residents101 permits TTM$65,268 median HHI2 ZIP codesUpdated April 16, 2026
Investor first look
Median home value
$190,000
ACS 5-Year
Cap rate proxy
4.7%
FMR × 0.65 ÷ Home Value
Rent-to-income
13.7%
HUD FMR ÷ ACS HHI
Net migration
+1.44%
IRS SOI
Permits (TTM)
101
Census BPS
Climate risk
45.8
FEMA NRI (0–100)
ZIP 28681
Median home value
—
Gross yield
—
Cap rate
3.5%
Rent gap
—
Affordability
P/I: 4.0R/I: —
Section 8 detail
SAFMR: —Rent: —Gap: —
ZIP code breakdown2 ZIP codes
Sort by any column. Click a ZIP for detail. Rent gap: green = HUD FMR above market rent.
Demographics
Owner-occupied
81.7%
Census ACS
Vacancy rate
13.8%
Census ACS
Bachelor's degree +
15.4%
Census ACS
Rent burdened
28.5%
Census ACS (>30% income)
Median age
43.8
Census ACS
U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
U.S. Census Bureau — Building Permits Survey
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — Fair Market Rents / Small Area Fair Market Rents (SAFMR)
Internal Revenue Service — Statistics of Income Migration Data
FEMA — National Risk Index
Last updated: April 16, 2026