American Trades Index Start free trial

Licensed HVAC technicians in Catawba County, NC, Greater Hickory Metro Area: Workforce, Wages & Demand

Licensed supply, credential mix, wages and demand outlook for HVAC technicians in Catawba County, NC, updated nightly from the state register and BLS.

Catawba County, NC carries 65 licensed HVAC technicians and a median wage of $50,300/yr ($24.18/hr).

65
licensed HVAC technicians
$50,300
median annual wage (BLS OEWS, metro area)
79
construction demand index

See where HVAC technicians earn more near you

A free report on your market: what the trade pays here, where your credential sits against the local licensed workforce, and the nearby counties that pay more, with the difference and the distance. No account needed.

Thanks, we'll be in touch.
Something went wrong. Please try again.

How the pay compares

This county sits at the 13th percentile nationally for HVAC technicians pay, below the median US county. Average weekly wages across the county's construction trades rose 6.7% year over year (BLS QCEW).

Where HVAC technicians earn more near Catawba County

Counties within 150 miles whose published median for this occupation is higher than Catawba County's. Medians from the same BLS OEWS series shown above, not offers, and pay is only one reason to move.

CountyMedianDifferenceDistance
Lincoln County, NC$59,840+$9,54012 mi
Iredell County, NC$59,840+$9,54022 mi
Gaston County, NC$59,840+$9,54026 mi
Mecklenburg County, NC$59,840+$9,54036 mi
Rowan County, NC$59,840+$9,54039 mi

Licensed workforce by level

Journeyman32
Contractor33

Licensed HVAC Technician contractors near Catawba County

Active, licensed firms and master-tier individuals on the NC register.

NameTier
4 Seasons Heat & AirContractor
AacContractor
Air Tech Heating & Air Conditioning (dba)Contractor
Airtek Of York County, Inc.Contractor
Ashley's Heating & Air, Inc.Contractor
Billie David LambertContractor
C.c.r.i Services Inc.Contractor
Century Services (dba)Contractor
Charles M. GlasseyContractor
Clontz's Heating & A/cContractor

Catawba County within the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro

Catawba County holds 50% of the metro area's 129 licensed HVAC technicians (the largest HVAC technicians pool among its 4 counties), at 3.9 per 10,000 residents against 3.5 metro-wide.

Who employs HVAC technicians here

Employment from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages for the industry this trade sits in; payroll from the Census County Business Patterns. Establishment counts are QCEW where the county is disclosed and an ATI estimate otherwise.

MeasureValueWhat it counts
Employer establishments67Physical business locations in this industry.
Industry employment664Everyone on those payrolls, not only licensed trades.
Annual industry payroll$30MTotal wages paid across those establishments (Census CBP, 2023).

How much work is in Catawba County

County-wide construction activity, across all trades rather than HVAC technicians specifically. Each figure names its source and the period it covers.

MeasureValueWhat it means for you
New housing units permitted1,944Last full year, county-wide. 118 per 10,000 residents. Permits lead construction hiring by months, so this is the earliest honest signal of work arriving (Census Building Permits Survey).
Construction employment2,007Everyone working in construction in this county, all trades and office staff. Average pay $1,084 per week. BLS QCEW.
Median year homes were built1985Older stock means more repair, replacement and retrofit work, which is steadier than new build and does not stop in a downturn (Census ACS).
Net migration+883People who moved in minus people who moved out, from IRS address changes. Arrivals need housing, wiring, plumbing and heat.

Density and pipeline

3.9 licensed HVAC technicians per 10,000 residents; 34 licensed holders per 100 estimated workers in the trade; 1.0 registered apprentices per 100 estimated workers; 0.1 apprentices per 10,000 residents. A thin pipeline against an ageing licensed base is how a shortage forms years before it shows up in wages.

Common questions

How many licensed HVAC technicians are in Catawba County, NC?
Catawba County has 65 licensed HVAC technicians on the NC register.
What do HVAC technicians earn in Catawba County?
The median annual wage for this occupation in this market is $50,300 ($24.18/hour), per BLS OEWS.
Is this a job board?
No. This page is ATI's own licensed-workforce and market data for this county and trade. Job listings above, where present, are an additive real-time layer, not the page's core content.
Is this page for Hickory specifically?
This page covers all of Catawba County, NC, which is part of the Greater Hickory metro area (the Census-defined metro this county belongs to), so it includes but is not limited to Hickory proper.

License register: 2026-09-17; Wages: 2025-05-31; Demand: 2026-09-17; Apprenticeship: 2025-12-31.

Related pages

County
Catawba County, NC skilled trades market
Electrician
Electricians in Catawba County, NC
Fire Sprinkler Fitter
Fire Sprinkler Fitters in Catawba County, NC
Plumber
Plumbers in Catawba County, NC
This number changes tonight.

This page is a free snapshot of HVAC technicians in Catawba County, NC. Track the same market every night and see which contractors just got licensed, added a trade, or dropped off, and pull the full record, with contact details, on any of them. Ask it anything, track what matters, and get the weekly intelligence email. Free trial, cancel anytime.

ATI Signals

Planning around this workforce?

ATI rebuilds the licensed skilled-trades workforce of all 3,144 counties every night. When something in it moves enough to matter, we write it up with the chart and send it. One finding, no pitch, and you do not need an account.

You are on the list. The next finding lands in your inbox.

Free. Unsubscribe any time. We never sell your address. See our Privacy Policy.