Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Fort Collins, CO
🏆 Cary leads 19 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Fort Collins
Colorado
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,977
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
168,758
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
74% less violent crime than Fort Collins
Households earn $46,340 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 45°F
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Fort Collins, CO
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $46,340/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 3.4%)
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Pricier housing — median home is $497,400
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$46,340
$125,317 vs $78,977/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
74% lower
71.0 vs 272.7 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$20k less
$477,400 vs $497,400
Cary
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fort Collins
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Fort Collins, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $497,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,576⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $78,977 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 84 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (113) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 58.3% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% | 97.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Poudre School District R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 45.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 16.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 49.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 168,758 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 30.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 51.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Fort Collins's 96.6 (US average = 100).
Fort Collins is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 19 of 23 categories. Cary wins 19 and Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $497,400 median home), income ($125,317 vs $78,977), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Fort Collins, CO are about 1,457 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.