Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
El Monte, CA
🏆 Cary leads 19 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
El Monte
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $65,388 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than El Monte
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (3.4%)
Homes cost $120k less ($477,400 vs $597,200)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $65,388/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Cary
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$65,388
$125,317 vs $59,929/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
83% lower
71.0 vs 423.2 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$120k less
$477,400 vs $597,200
Cary
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
3.4% vs 7.0% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | El Monte, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $597,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,605⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $59,929 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 7.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 29.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 106⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C- (66) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 13.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 63.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Mountain View Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 15.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 108,682 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 39.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 22.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs El Monte's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 19 of 23 categories. Cary wins 19 and El Monte wins 4. 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 El Monte or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $597,200 median home), income ($125,317 vs $59,929), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and El Monte, CA are about 2,209 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.