There were a lot of ways to attempt this analysis but the methodology adopted compares 2012 home sale prices with the corresponding assessed tax value of the property sold. The sales figures were “cleaned up” to eliminate bank and government sponsored entity sales. Short sales were also eliminated in an effort to avoid having distressed sales skew the findings. The comparison was done based on elementary school districts. The list is ordered from lowest burden to highest and includes Hickory addresses in Catawba County.
1. Blackburn Elementary
19 sales with an average price of $183,854
Hickory’s southern and easternmost reaches, the Blackburn district edges out number two by the slightest of margins to claim the title of having the lowest tax burden, and being Hickory’s #1 tax haven.
- 99.09% Sellers fetched on average 99.09% of the assessed value of their homes. Hickory homeowners in this district pay only Catawba County taxes.
2. Mountain View Elementary
45 sales with an average price of $226,027
Hickory’s southern and westernmost reaches, the Mountain View district placed a very close second. By any measure it merits the distinction of being a Hickory tax haven.
- 99.03% Many homeowners in this district pay only Catawba County taxes.
3. Webb A. Murray Elementary
11 sales with an average price of $117,877
One of Hickory’s easternmost reaches, the Webb A. Murray district barely had enough reported sales to warrant consideration. Nonetheless it earned the Hickory tax haven designation.
- 95.86% Many Hickory homeowners in this district pay only Catawba County taxes.
4. Clyde Campbell Elementary
48 sales with an average price of $182,824
The center of sprawling northeast Hickory, the Clyde Campbell district barely earned its Hickory tax haven designation.
- 94.88% With few exceptions, homeowners in this district pay both Hickory City and Catawba County taxes.
5. Oakwood Elementary
28 sales with an average price of $167,354
A highly sought after downtown location home to many of Hickory’s most historic and architecturally significant structures, the Oakwood district is easily one of Hickory’s most tax-conflicted areas. Some addresses in this district appear to be tax havens, while other homeowners here face a considerably higher burden.
- 92.54% Homeowners in this district pay both Hickory City and Catawba County taxes.
6. Snow Creek Elementary
25 sales with an average price of $211,266
Hickory’s northern and easternmost reaches, the Snow Creek district is home to Hickory’s newest school, and is the most recent addition to Hickory’s school districts. This district is another toss up.
- 91.76% Split almost evenly between homeowners that pay only Catawba County and those that also pay Hickory City taxes.
7. St. Stephens Elementary
14 Sales with an average price of $110,371.00
From the eastern edge of Viewmont to the eastern edge of Hickory, the St. Stephens Elementary (not high school) district.
- 91.29% Some Hickory homeowners in this district pay only Catawba County taxes.
8. Jenkins Elementary
53 sales with an average price of $220,721
Hickory’s northern and westernmost reaches in Catawba County, the Jenkins district includes waterfront properties and is home to some of the most expensive homes and most exclusive addresses in the Greater Hickory Metro. It’s balanced by other more modestly priced homes.
- 90.53% With very few exceptions, homeowners in this district pay both Hickory City and Catawba County taxes.
9. Southwest Elementary
18 sales with an average price of $113,114
South of downtown along the HWY 70 corridor and north of the Mountain View and Blackburn districts, unlike these two neighbors on the list, the Southwest district is no haven when it comes to taxes.
- 90.43% With very few exceptions, homeowners in this district pay both Hickory City and Catawba County taxes.
10. Viewmont Elementary
43 sales with an average price of $223,880
Just north of downtown, the Viewmont district includes waterfront properties and some of Hickory’s most established neighborhoods. Its large but aging homes are selling for considerably less these days. Homeowners here have Hickory’s highest tax burden.
- 85.44% Homeowners is this district pay both Hickory City and Catawba County taxes.
There You Have It
A comparison ranking of tax burdens for Hickory homeowners in Catawba County. Those that pay only Catawba County taxes pay a millage rate of .53 plus a fire district rate of approximately .o6 for a combined rate of approximately .60 for simplicity’s sake. Homeowners that pay Hickory City taxes pay .50, plus Catawba County taxes for a combined rate of 1.03 per hundred dollars value. These are 2012 tax rates.