<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-04-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000766561</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HICKORY TECH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HTCO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001240949</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NORDQUIST LANE C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>221 EAST HICKORY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>PO BOX 3248</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MANKATO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>56002-3248</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-04-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>729</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.95</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9148</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4680</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Rabbi Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes shares acquired under the Company's Long-Term Executive Incentive Program and stock acquired under the Company's Dividend Reinvestment Plan and the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan as of March 31, 2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents shares of stock that were granted as a part of the officer's annual incentive payment.  The shares of stock become payable in common stock upon the reporting person's termination of employment with the company.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Includes shares of stock that were credited to the officer's account under the company's deferred compensation program in connection with the reinvestment of cash dividends paid on shares of common stock held in the rabbi trust.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ David A. Christensen, Attorney-in-Fact for Lane C. Nordquist</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
