Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Henderson, NV
🏆 Cary leads 15 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Henderson
Nevada
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,311
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
318,063 ✓ Larger
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 Henderson
Households earn $40,006 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 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)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 105°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Henderson, NV
Pros
Homes cost $50k less ($427,900 vs $477,400)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $40,006/yr
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 3.4%)
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Higher rents — median is $1,641/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.9 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$40,006
$125,317 vs $85,311/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
74% lower
71.0 vs 272.4 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
3.4% vs 7.0% unemployment
Henderson
Median Home Value
$50k less
$427,900 vs $477,400
Henderson
Summer Heat
15.5°F warmer
July avg high 104.5°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Henderson, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $427,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,641⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $85,311 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 7.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 35.3% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 93.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Clark County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 104.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 6.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 318,063 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 21.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 20.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Henderson's 103.9 (US average = 100).
Cary is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 15 of 23 categories. Cary wins 15 and Henderson 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 Henderson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $427,900 median home), income ($125,317 vs $85,311), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Henderson, NV are about 2,015 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.