Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Denton, TX
🏆 Cary leads 16 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Denton
Texas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,921
Violent Crime Index
54
Population
142,262
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $53,396 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than Denton
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 1.4 pts lower (3.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Denton, TX
Pros
Homes cost $181k less ($296,100 vs $477,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (204.2 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $274/mo less ($1,264 vs $1,538)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $53,396/yr
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.4%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$53,396
$125,317 vs $71,921/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
65% lower
71.0 vs 204.2 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.8% unemployment
Denton
Median Home Value
$181k less
$296,100 vs $477,400
Denton
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Denton, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,264 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $71,921 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 24.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 65 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 54 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (115) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 40.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 91.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | DENTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 55.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 38.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 142,262 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 30.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 49.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Denton's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Cary is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 23 categories. Cary wins 16 and Denton wins 7. 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 Denton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $296,100 median home), income ($125,317 vs $71,921), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Denton, TX are about 1,056 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.