What are the schools like in Cary, NC?

Cary is served primarily by Wake County Schools. The district operates 122 elementary schools, 40 middle schools, and 36 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.3:1.

What is the median household income in Cary?

The median household income in Cary, NC is $125,317 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.4%.

What is the weather like in Cary, NC?

Cary has an average high temperature of 50.9°F in January and 89.0°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 50.3 inches and annual snowfall averages 4.8 inches.

Cary, NC Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Cary, NC affordable or expensive?

Cary's cost of living index is 98, where 100 represents the national average. This means Cary is 2% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $477,400 and the median rent is $1,538 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Cary, NC?

Cary has a violent crime rate of 71.0 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1317.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Cary, NC a Good Place to Live?

Cary is a mid-sized city of 174,880 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $125,317 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.

Strengths: Cary stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Cary is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Cary city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 98.0

Cary's overall cost of living index is 98.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Cary costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.

Metric	Cary, NC	National Avg
Median Home Value	$477,400	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,538	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	66.8%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$125,317	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Cary's violent crime rate is 71.0 per 100,000 residents — 81% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

71.0 /100k

Property Crime

1317.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Cary is served primarily by Wake County Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Cary, NC	National Avg
School District	Wake County Schools	—
Elementary Schools	122	—
Middle Schools	40	—
High Schools	36	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	15.3:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	70.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	96.8%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Cary sees average highs of 50.9°F in January and 89.0°F in July, with 50.3 inches of annual precipitation and 4.8 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Cary, NC
Average High — January	50.9°F
Average High — July	89.0°F
Annual Precipitation	50.3"
Annual Snowfall	4.8"

Demographics

Metric	Cary, NC	National Avg
Population	174,880	—
Median Age	39.4	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.4%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	22.8 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	61.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	8.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	6.2%	18.9%
Asian	20.9%	6.3%
Under 18	24.5%	22.2%
65 and over	13.2%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Morrisville, NC 4 mi Apex, NC 5 mi Holly Springs, NC 9 mi Raleigh, NC 11 mi Carolina Meadows, NC 12 mi

ZIP Codes in Cary

Cary, NC is covered by 4 ZIP codes:

27519 27513 27511 27518

Cary vs Other Cities

Cary, NC vs Morrisville, NC Cary, NC vs Apex, NC Cary, NC vs Holly Springs, NC Cary, NC vs Raleigh, NC Cary, NC vs Carolina Meadows, NC

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cary, NC affordable or expensive?

Cary's cost of living index is 98, where 100 is the national average. That makes Cary roughly 2% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $477,400 and median rent is $1,538/month.

What is the crime rate in Cary, NC?

Cary's violent crime rate is 71.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1317.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Cary?

Public schools in Cary are operated by Wake County Schools. The district has 122 elementary, 40 middle, and 36 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.3:1. 70.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Cary, NC a good place to live?

Cary, NC has a population of 174,880, a median household income of $125,317, and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Cary?

Cary averages 50.9°F in January and 89.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.3 inches with about 4.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Cary?

Cary, NC is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 27519, 27513, 27511, 27518.

What is the population of Cary?

The population of Cary, North Carolina is 174,880 with a median age of 39.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Cary?

Key numbers for living in Cary: cost of living index 98 (100 = US average), median home $477,400, median household income $125,317, crime index 36 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Cary side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.