<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

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<periodOfReport>2003-07-02</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000766561</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HICKORY TECH CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HTCO</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
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            <rptOwnerName>ALTON ROBERT D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
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            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
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<isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
</reportingOwnerRelationship>
</reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.05</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>700</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.10</value>
</transactionValue>
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</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.15</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionValue>
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</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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</transactionShares>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.25</value>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.35</value>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>191</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.39</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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<postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>87275</value>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value>
</transactionDate>
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<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.40</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
<transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>500</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.15</value>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
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<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.20</value>
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<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionValue>
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<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
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</transactionShares>
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</transactionValue>
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</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
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</transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.23</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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</directOrIndirectOwnership>
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<nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
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</transactionCoding>
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</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.26</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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</directOrIndirectOwnership>
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<nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
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<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>600</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.30</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value>
</securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-03</value>
</transactionDate>
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<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>300</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionValue><value>11.35</value>
</transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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<postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>82515</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"></footnoteId>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</nonDerivativeSecurity>
<footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes shares acquired under the Company's Dividend Reinvestment Plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ David A. Christensen, Attorney in Fact for Robert D. Alton, Jr.</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-03</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

