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Cary, NC

Full City Profile · North Carolina · Wake County County

3.8 /5.0
B+ Good
176,686 Population 2,898/sq mi density
$129,399 Median Income $64,590 per capita
$525,200 Home Value $620,401 Zillow
$1,621 Median Rent 24.8% income on rent
62°F Avg Temperature 299 sunny days/yr
66 Violent Crime/100K 904 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.8 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
5.0 / 5.0
$129,399 median income, 2.3% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.4 / 5.0
$525,200 home value, $1,621/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
66 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
70.2% bachelor's degree or higher

Cary, NC

At a Glance

Median Income
$129,399
72% above
$64,590 per capita
Home Value
$525,200
86% above
Zillow: $620,401
Median Rent
$1,621/mo
39% above
24.8% of income on rent
Violent Crime
66/100K
83% below
904/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
70.2%
108% above
96.3% high school+
Unemployment
2.3%
36% below
3.5% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
24.6%
23% below
7.4% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
62°F
299 sunny days/yr

How Cary Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Cary's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
172%
Home Value
186%
Rent
139%
Poverty
28%
Bachelor's
208%
Unemployment
64%
Crime
17%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Cary a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.8 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Cary residents earn a median household income of $129,399 , which is 72% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $64,590. The unemployment rate stands at 2.3% (36% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 3.5% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 50,997 business establishments, including 2,765 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Cary is $525,200 , 86% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $620,401. Median rent is $1,621/month, with 24.8% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.3 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1998.

Safety & Crime

Cary reports 66 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 83% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 904/100K. The murder rate is 0.6/100K.

Education

70.2% of adults in Cary hold a bachelor's degree or higher (108% above the national average). 96.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.6/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Cary has an average annual temperature of 62°F (17°C). Winters average 47°F in January while summers reach 81°F in July. The area gets 299 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 42.7 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 40.

Data Overview

People

Population176,686
Median Age39.8 yrs
Density2,898/mi²
Male / Female50% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans4.9%

Economy

A+
Median Income$129,399
Per Capita$64,590
Unemployment2.3%
Poverty3.5%
County GDP$128,428M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,477

Housing

A
Home Value$525,200
Rent$1,621
Ownership66.3%
Zillow$620,401
Housing Units70,780
Rent Burden24.8%

Crime

F
Violent66/100K
Property904/100K
Murder0.6/100K
Assault39/100K
Burglary107/100K

Health

Obesity24.6%
Diabetes7.9%
Smoking7.4%
Heart Disease4.0%
Premature Death5,322/100K

Climate

Avg Temp62°F
Sunny Days299/yr
Rain42.7 in/yr
AQI40 (Good)
Elevation400 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+70.2%
High School+96.3%
Graduate+32.0%
School Score6.6/10

Community

2024 VoteR 36% / D 62%
Commute23 min
Broadband96.4%
Internet Speed230 Mbps
EV Stations98
Libraries23

Did You Know?

Cary was founded in 1750.
The median home in Cary was built in 1998.
32.4% work from home.
The nearest airport is Raleigh-Durham International (7 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.451 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
7.2% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 230 Mbps.
There are 2,765 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 91 fatal vehicle crashes.