Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Durham, NC
🏆 Cary leads 16 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Durham
North Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,710
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
89% less violent crime than Durham
Households earn $50,607 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Durham, NC
Pros
Homes cost $161k less ($316,600 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $242/mo less ($1,296 vs $1,538)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $50,607/yr
Violent crime (619.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3799.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$50,607
$125,317 vs $74,710/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
89% lower
71.0 vs 619.2 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.3% unemployment
Durham
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Home Value
$161k less
$316,600 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Durham, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,296 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $74,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 170⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 181⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (115) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 91.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Durham Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 50.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 5.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 284,094 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 52.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 20.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Durham's 96.6 (US average = 100).
Durham is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 23 categories. Cary wins 16 and Durham 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 Durham or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $316,600 median home), income ($125,317 vs $74,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Durham, NC are about 14 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.