Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Cary, NC
🏆 Cary leads 15 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Cary
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (2.8%)
Households earn $12,070 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Cary
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Cary, NC
Pros
Homes cost $356k less ($477,400 vs $833,300)
72% less violent crime than Arlington
Rent averages $689/mo less ($1,538 vs $2,227)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $12,070/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$12,070
$137,387 vs $125,317/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
2.8% vs 3.4% unemployment
Cary
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Violent Crime
72% lower
71.0 vs 254.4 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$356k less
$477,400 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Cary, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $125,317 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 3.4% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% | 28.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 19 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 63 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | A (118) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 70.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% | 96.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Wake County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 50.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 4.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 174,880 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 39.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 66.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Cary's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Cary is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 15 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 8 and Cary wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Cary or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $477,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $125,317), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Cary, NC are about 234 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.