The Town Files

Hickory, Pennsylvania

Community in Washington County · population 664 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hickory is in PennsylvaniaHickory
Median home
$217,300
Household income
$63,934
Jan low / Jul high
20° / 83°
Snow a year
32 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
7
Median age
31.6

Hickory is a community of 664 people in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $217,300, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, quieter than 90% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 81% of Pennsylvania towns.

How Hickory ranks

Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.

Hickory lifestyle rankings vs other Pennsylvania townsRetirement96th pctFamilies80th pctQuiet90th pctWalkability14th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals57th pctVibrancy7th pctHip & trendy64th pctCollege town59th pctUpscale81st pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving54th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Hickory is worth $217,300, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $63,934, which is more affordable than 25% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $816 a month. 72.7% of households own their home.

Hickory vs Washington County vs typical Pennsylvania townHickoryWashington CountyTypical Pennsylvania townHome value$217,300$228,500$214,250Household income$63,934$78,958$75,278Monthly rent$816$949$996
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Pennsylvania towns with 500+ people.
HousingHickoryTypical Pennsylvania town
Median home value$217,300$214,250
Median rent$816$996
Median household income$63,934$75,278
Home value ÷ income3.4×2.8×
Homeownership72.7%81.5%
Median year built19581971
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Hickory

PeopleHickoryTypical Pennsylvania town
Median age31.644.2
Age 65 and over19.1%21.1%
Under 1822.6%—
Bachelor's degree or higher36.7%23.8%
Below the poverty line2.3%8.5%
Veterans8.0%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home0.0%10.6%
Average commute20.5 min25.9 min
Homes with broadband90.4%89.0%

Weather in Hickory

July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 20.0°F. About 41.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.

Hickory monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°20°Jan40°22°Feb49°29°Mar63°40°Apr72°49°May80°58°Jun83°62°Jul83°60°Aug76°54°Sep64°43°Oct52°33°Nov41°26°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.310.22.58.03.55.63.30.64.14.53.63.53.63.00.13.11.63.35.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Washington 3 Ne station (10.1 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hickory since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 21, 2021 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Hickory by decade11950s01960s01970s11980s01990s02000s02010s52020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 28, 2020.

Severe weather in Washington County since 1996

Storm events in Washington County since 1996 by typeHail139Flood72Tornado19High Wind26Ice Storm8Lightning8Heavy Snow13Flash Flood146
NOAA Storm Events Database, Washington County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 1 deaths recorded.

Washington County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 30, 2020BiologicalDR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3441: Covid-19
October 29, 2012HurricaneEM-3356: Hurricane Sandy
September 10, 2005HurricaneEM-3235: Hurricane Katrina
September 19, 2004Severe StormDR-1555: Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Frances

Jobs and pay in Washington County

Washington County had 87,434 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,319 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Hickory itself the ACS puts it at 0%.

Largest industries in Washington CountyHealth care & social assistan…14,527 jobs · $55,709Manufacturing9,296 jobs · $74,860Retail9,087 jobs · $38,893Hotels & restaurants6,627 jobs · $23,057Construction6,596 jobs · $82,032Administrative & support4,264 jobs · $46,924
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Washington County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Washington 3.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Hickory

Hickory questions

Is Hickory, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hickory scores better for retirees than 96% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 90%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.6).

How much does a house cost in Hickory?

The median owner-occupied home in Hickory is valued at $217,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,934, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $816 a month.

What is the weather like in Hickory?

July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 20.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.3 inches of precipitation a year and 31.7 inches of snow.

Does Hickory get tornadoes?

7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hickory since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 21, 2021. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hickory's Census boundary (GEOID 4234256). Comparisons use the median of Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.