Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Hollywood, FL
🏆 Cary leads 13 of 20 categories
Cary
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Hollywood
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,958
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
152,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $63,359 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Hollywood
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Hollywood, FL
Pros
Homes cost $132k less ($345,300 vs $477,400)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 51°F
Rent averages $75/mo less ($1,463 vs $1,538)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $63,359/yr
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Cary
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$63,359
$125,317 vs $61,958/yr
Cary
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Hollywood
Median Home Value
$132k less
$345,300 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Hollywood, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $345,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,463⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $61,958 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 30.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 31.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 88.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 76.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 65.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 152,764 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 41.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 56.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 19.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Hollywood's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Cary is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cary leads 13 of 20 categories. Cary wins 13 and Hollywood 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 Hollywood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $345,300 median home), income ($125,317 vs $61,958), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Hollywood, FL are about 678 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.