Senior living in Hickory, North Carolina spans 37 state-licensed assisted living, memory care, and independent living communities and 16 Medicare-certified nursing homes across Catawba, Burke, Caldwell, and Alexander counties in North Carolina. 6 area nursing homes hold a 5-star CMS rating. Lilisity publishes no score or ranking for any community that has not earned an award; the licensing and CMS data below are public records.
Every assisted living, memory care, and independent living community licensed by the state in Catawba, Burke, Caldwell, and Alexander counties in North Carolina, from state licensing records. Listing here is not a rating: Lilisity publishes no score for any community that has not earned an award. Communities marked verified reviews have phone-verified resident and family interviews on file.
Assisted living in the Hickory area typically runs $4,500–$6,500 per month, with memory care $1,000–$1,500 above that and independent living below it; skilled nursing is billed through Medicare, Medicaid, or private pay rather than monthly rent. Rates vary widely by apartment size and care level, so ask for the community’s current rate sheet.
| Care type | Typical Hickory range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Independent living | $3,000 – $4,500 | Private apartment or cottage, meals and services optional |
| Assisted living | $4,500 – $6,500 | Daily personal care, meals, medication management |
| Memory care | $5,500 – $8,000 | Secured neighborhood, dementia-trained staff |
| Skilled nursing | Payer-based | 24/7 medical care; Medicare/Medicaid/private pay |
Ranges reflect operator-published market rates for the region, September 2026. North Carolina’s Medicaid waiver programs and VA Aid & Attendance can offset costs — see the FAQ below.
6 of the 16 Medicare-certified nursing homes in the Hickory metro hold the highest possible 5-star overall rating from CMS — including Abernathy Laurels in Newton. Every facility below links to its full inspection history, staffing hours, and deficiency record.
| Facility ↕ | Location ↕ | CMS rating ↕ | Beds ↕ | Operator ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abernathy Laurels | Newton, NC | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 174 | Everyage Senior Living |
| Grace Heights Health & Rehabilitation | Morganton, NC | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 120 | Sanstone Health & Rehabilitation |
| Trinity Ridge | Hickory, NC | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 120 | Lutheran Services Carolinas |
| Trinity Village | Hickory, NC | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 104 | Lutheran Services Carolinas |
| College Pines Health And Rehabilitation | Connelly Springs, NC | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 100 | Sanstone Health & Rehabilitation |
| Shaire Nursing Center | Lenoir, NC | ★★★★★ 5/5 | 60 | Independent |
| Hickory Falls Health And Rehabilitation | Granite Falls, NC | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 120 | Sanstone Health & Rehabilitation |
| Conover Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Conover, NC | ★★★★☆ 4/5 | 90 | Independent |
| The Greens At Hickory | Hickory, NC | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 150 | Cch Healthcare |
| The Greens At Viewmont | Hickory, NC | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 104 | Cch Healthcare |
| Autumn Care Of Drexel | Morganton, NC | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 100 | Saber Healthcare Group |
| Carolina Rehab Center Of Burke | Connelly Spring, NC | ★★★☆☆ 3/5 | 90 | Lifeworks Rehab |
| Magnolia Lane Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Morganton, NC | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 121 | Principle Long Term Care |
| Lenoir Health And Rehabilitation Center | Lenoir, NC | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 120 | Independent |
| Hibriten Mountain Nursing And Rehabilitation | Lenoir, NC | ★★☆☆☆ 2/5 | 100 | Consulate Health Care/Independence Living Centers/Nspire Healthcare/Raydiant Health Care |
| Valley Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | Taylorsville, NC | ★☆☆☆☆ 1/5 | 183 | Cch Healthcare |
Source: CMS Care Compare, federal five-star quality rating system, retrieved September 2026. Lilisity republishes this government data unmodified; no facility can pay to change its rating.
Senior living in the Hickory metro is spread across Catawba, Burke, Caldwell, and Alexander counties in North Carolina. The cities with the most licensed communities and nursing homes are listed below; most sit within a short drive of the region’s hospital systems, which matters for families coordinating specialist care or hospital discharge.
How Lilisity makes money: some communities pay us a referral fee when a family we’ve helped moves in. That fee never changes a review, a rating, or who appears on this page — CMS ratings come from the federal government, and reviews come from residents. Read the full methodology → · How we are paid →
Most states, including North Carolina, offer a Medicaid waiver that covers care costs (not room and board) at participating assisted living communities for people who qualify financially and medically. Not every community accepts the waiver, so ask early. Veterans and surviving spouses may also qualify for VA Aid & Attendance, worth up to roughly $2,300 per month toward care.
Assisted living provides housing, meals, and help with daily tasks like bathing and medications in an apartment setting, state-licensed and mostly private pay. Nursing homes (skilled nursing) provide 24/7 medical care, are federally certified and CMS-rated, and are typically paid through Medicare, Medicaid, or long-term-care insurance.
Every facility in the table above links to its full record — CMS star ratings, health-inspection findings, staffing hours per resident, and any fines or penalties, sourced from Medicare's Care Compare data. 6 Hickory-area facilities currently hold a 5-star overall rating.
Assisted living moves can happen in days when a community has availability — after a nurse assessment and paperwork. Memory care placements after a crisis often complete within one to two weeks. Calling an advisor who knows current availability is the fastest path: (833) 612-4732.
Lilisity publishes scores and rankings only for the Top Communities list and the Excellence Awards, both built from phone-verified interviews. The 37 communities listed by county come from state licensing records; CMS ratings apply only to Medicare-certified nursing homes.
One call covers current availability, honest pricing, and which communities fit your parent’s care needs and budget. No obligation, and we never sell your information.
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