Cary vs Raleigh
Cary, North Carolina versus Raleigh, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Cary edges out Raleigh on overall objective livability (50 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cary | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $125k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $64k | $64k |
| Home Value | $477k | $347k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.79% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.83% | 10.32% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.3 in | 49.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8 in | 4.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 194 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 80 days | 80 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 29.1 | 57.7 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 45.4 |
| Violent Crime | 456/100k | 1899/100k |
| Property Crime | 1108/100k | 2364/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 465,517 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 34.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.60 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+27 | D+27 |
| White (%) | 59.2% | 52.5% |
| Black (%) | 8.0% | 27.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.8% | 11.6% |
| Asian (%) | 20.8% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.8/20 | 12.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.5% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 25.33 | 16.24 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cary or Raleigh more affordable?
- Raleigh has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Cary's $64k and Raleigh's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Cary versus $1k in Raleigh.
- Is Cary or Raleigh safer?
- Cary has the lower violent crime rate. Cary reports 456/100k and Raleigh reports 1899/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cary or Raleigh?
- The median home value is $477k in Cary and $347k in Raleigh, so homes are more affordable in Raleigh.