Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Greensboro, NC
🏆 Cary leads 15 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Greensboro
North Carolina
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,051
Violent Crime Index
243⚠ High
Population
297,202 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $70,266 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Greensboro
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
Pros
Homes cost $280k less ($197,200 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $490/mo less ($1,048 vs $1,538)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.7)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $70,266/yr
Violent crime (923.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3383.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$70,266
$125,317 vs $55,051/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
92% lower
71.0 vs 923.7 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Greensboro
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 92.7 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Greensboro
Median Home Value
$280k less
$197,200 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Greensboro, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 92.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $197,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,048 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $55,051 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 210⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 243⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 161⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 90.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Guilford County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 50.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 7.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 297,202 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 49.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 22.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 13.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Greensboro's 92.7 (US average = 100).
Greensboro is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 15 of 23 categories. Cary wins 15 and Greensboro wins 8. 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 Greensboro or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $197,200 median home), income ($125,317 vs $55,051), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Greensboro, NC are about 60 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.