Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Fayetteville, NC
🏆 Cary leads 14 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Fayetteville
North Carolina
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $71,893 more per year on average
89% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.0 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
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 Fayetteville
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $319k less ($158,500 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $421/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,538)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $71,893/yr
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$71,893
$125,317 vs $53,424/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
89% lower
71.0 vs 660.2 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
5.0 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.4% unemployment
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$319k less
$158,500 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Fayetteville, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $158,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,117 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $53,424 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 93.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Cumberland County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 54.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 47.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 208,697 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 30.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 45.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Fayetteville's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 14 of 23 categories. Cary wins 14 and Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $158,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $53,424), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Fayetteville, NC are about 49 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.