Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Edmond, OK
🏆 Cary leads 13 of 22 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
Edmond
Oklahoma
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$96,389
Violent Crime Index
43
Population
94,503
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
57% less violent crime than Edmond
Households earn $28,928 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Edmond
Edmond, OK
Pros
Homes cost $173k less ($304,700 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $281/mo less ($1,257 vs $1,538)
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.2 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $28,928/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$28,928
$125,317 vs $96,389/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
57% lower
71.0 vs 165.2 per 100k
Edmond
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Edmond
Median Home Value
$173k less
$304,700 vs $477,400
Edmond
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Edmond, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $304,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,257 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $96,389 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 3.5% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 11.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 52 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 43 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 65 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 55.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% | 96.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | EDMOND |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 34.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 2.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 94,503 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% | 70.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 25.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Edmond's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Edmond is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Cary leads 13 of 22 categories. Cary wins 13 and Edmond wins 9. 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 Edmond or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $304,700 median home), income ($125,317 vs $96,389), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Edmond, OK are about 1,041 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.