Cary, North Carolina
Among the top 5% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 23% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 57% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 95% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 49% of US places
- top 3% for airport distance
- top 9% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 8% for cost of living
Cary is a city in North Carolina with about 175,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include airport distance, natural disaster risk, and broadband access. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and cost of living.
Official websitecarync.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
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warm
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62%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in3.4 in
muggy 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$125k93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$64kbetter than 8% of US places
Home Value$477k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 15% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 14% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.79%better than 64% of US places
Income Tax4.50%better than 61% of US places
Sales Tax7.00%better than 60% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.83%better than 49% of US places
Unemployment3.4%better than 55% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.3 in73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall4.8 inbetter than 68% of US places
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 17% of US places
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 20% of US places
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 44% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk29.1better than 91% of US places
Air Quality48 AQIbetter than 40% of US places
School Quality45.4better than 26% of US places
Violent Crime456/100kbetter than 68% of US places
Property Crime1108/100kbetter than 43% of US places
Community
Population174,880100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.442nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5791st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9849th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2710th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)59.2%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.0%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.8%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)20.8%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 71% of US places
Walkability8.8/20better than 80% of US places
Airport Distance8 mibetter than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access96.5%better than 87% of US places
Amenities Nearby25.33better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 40% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cary an affordable place to live?
- Cary is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $64k, better than 8% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Cary?
- The median home value in Cary is $477k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Cary?
- Median household income in Cary is $125k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Cary?
- Median gross rent in Cary is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Cary safe?
- Cary is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 456/100k (better than 68%). Property crime is 1108/100k.
- What is the weather like in Cary?
- Cary averages 80°F in July and 41°F in January, with 48.3 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Cary?
- Public-school quality in Cary is below average, scoring better than 26% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Cary?
- The average one-way commute in Cary is 23 min.
Other places in Wake County
Places near Cary
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)