Hickory or Salibury (Charlotte, Concord, Salisbury: high crime, house, job market)

[chardent]

Have a job opportunity in the Hickory area (Lenoir) or in Salisbury. We're looking for a family-oriented small city. Wife and I are big runners and like a pedestrian friendly downtown. Both seem to fit the bill. I'm worried about the economy in Hickory vs. Salisbury. Schools somewhat important--we have a 4 month old baby. Anyone have strong advise one way or another?

[Raine Carraway]

Hickory's got a little better economy [slightly higher average/median incomes, and much lower poverty rate] than Salisbury, but Lenoir's economy is slower than either, because of the large number of people unemployed due to layoffs in the furniture industry [Caldwell County's unemployment rate has been dropping, but so has the number of people in the workforce there]. Hickory has had more business expansion with fiber optics and new industries, and Lenoir seems to be trying to do the same thing with the Google server farm [there have been a few other new businesses move to Caldwell County, and one fiber optics company from Canada is considering relocating here].

I don't know about the schools in Salisbury, but the "hot" school district in Hickory is Clyde Campbell Elementary School [and St. Stephens High School, which is in the same district]- they are doing some redistricting, so if you look in this area, make sure the home will still be in that district.

[cooperwx]

I lived in Salisbury for a few years and was pretty happy there. The schools, especially west and south as well as Salisbury HS, are good. The town is in an interesting position of trying to manage growth coming northeast from Charlotte. IMO it is too far to be a bedroom community, and it does retain its' friendly small town feel while being connected to most of NC via I-85.

In the end it was too small and conservative for me, and I resented the drive down 85 to Charlotte.

[Newbie1920]

Depending upon what area in Salisbury you are looking for, as of now the Best two High Schools in the Rowan Salisbury School system is West and Salisbury High, I just relocated from Salisbury, it definetly has the small town feel to it. I do not know much about Hickory's economy, but as far as Salisbury is concerend it is growing the average salary population is $46,142 according to Money Magazine, the down side to that it job market is complete shot. But it all depends what you are looking for.
I agree with the above comment it is too small and conservative for me, so I relocated to a much nicer area. Not to mention in some parts of Salisbury is a High Crime rate-Gang Violence, and with me being a single mother with a prominent career it was a place that I did not want to raise my teenage children.

[chardent]

When we visited Salisbury it seemed like Charlotte gave out after Concord--in a way it was the last gate of Charlotte before I-85 to no where. We live in Charlotte now and like the ammenities, but hate all the traffic and congestion. It did seem possible to live in Mooresville or Davidson and drive into Salisbury down 150--but I was driving on a weekend.

Hickory definitely seemed like a "bigger" small town with a much better appeal (lakes, mountains close) than Salisbury, but the economy there really worries me. I'm in a service profession so economic issues are front and center. Seems like Salisbury will one day get spill over from Charlotte, but in Hickory, I'm concerned...I don't want to buy and house in either only to see zero resale potential after a couple of years.