Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Concord, NC
🏆 Cary leads 13 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Concord
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,480
Violent Crime Index
42
Population
105,335
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
55% less violent crime than Concord
Households earn $41,837 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Concord, NC
Pros
Homes cost $189k less ($288,100 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $279/mo less ($1,259 vs $1,538)
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $41,837/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$41,837
$125,317 vs $83,480/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
55% lower
71.0 vs 159.0 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.7% unemployment
Concord
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Concord
Median Home Value
$189k less
$288,100 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Concord, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $288,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,259 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $83,480 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 27.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 14.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 46 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 42 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Cabarrus County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 52.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 47.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 3.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 105,335 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% | 69.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Concord's 97.0 (US average = 100).
Concord is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 13 of 23 categories. Cary wins 13 and Concord wins 10. 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 Cary to Concord or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $288,100 median home), income ($125,317 vs $83,480), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Concord, NC are about 105 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.