Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Hemet, CA
🏆 Cary leads 16 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Hemet
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,901
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
89,651
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $75,416 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than Hemet
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.1 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
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
Hemet, CA
Pros
Homes cost $200k less ($277,200 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $181/mo less ($1,357 vs $1,538)
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $75,416/yr
Higher unemployment (9.5% vs 3.4%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Cary
Longer commutes — 36.8 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$75,416
$125,317 vs $49,901/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
83% lower
71.0 vs 424.8 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
6.1 pp lower
3.4% vs 9.5% unemployment
Hemet
Median Home Value
$200k less
$277,200 vs $477,400
Hemet
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.1°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Hemet, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $277,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,357⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $49,901 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 9.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 36.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 7.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C (78) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 13.9% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 79.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Hemet Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 65.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 95.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 12.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 89,651 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 39.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 61.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 22.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Hemet's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Cary is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 23 categories. Cary wins 16 and Hemet wins 7. 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 Hemet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $277,200 median home), income ($125,317 vs $49,901), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Hemet, CA are about 2,158 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.