Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Hoover, AL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Cary
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Hoover
Alabama
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$101,765
Violent Crime Index
21
Population
91,995
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $23,552 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Hoover
Hoover, AL
Pros
Homes cost $111k less ($366,200 vs $477,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (78.0 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $186/mo less ($1,352 vs $1,538)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $23,552/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$23,552
$125,317 vs $101,765/yr
Cary
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
3.4% vs 3.9% unemployment
Hoover
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Hoover
Median Home Value
$111k less
$366,200 vs $477,400
Hoover
Summer Heat
3.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Hoover, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $366,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,352⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $101,765 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 3.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 25.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 | 36 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 21 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 | 60 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) | A (122) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 60.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 96.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Hoover City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 54.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 59.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 91,995 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 38.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% | 69.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 24.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 16.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Hoover's 92.6 (US average = 100).
Hoover is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Cary wins 11 and Hoover wins 11. 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 Hoover or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $366,200 median home), income ($125,317 vs $101,765), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Hoover, AL are about 483 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.