Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Inglewood, CA
🏆 Cary leads 20 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
20
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Inglewood
California
3
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,563
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
106,806
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $57,754 more per year on average
89% less violent crime than Inglewood
Homes cost $212k less ($477,400 vs $689,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.8 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)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Inglewood, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 51°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 89°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $57,754/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $689,700
Violent crime (674.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$57,754
$125,317 vs $67,563/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
89% lower
71.0 vs 674.6 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$212k less
$477,400 vs $689,700
Cary
Unemployment
4.8 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.2% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
11.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 77.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Inglewood, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $689,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,666⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $67,563 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 30.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 172⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 22.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 77.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Inglewood Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 77.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 11.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 106,806 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 21.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Inglewood's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 20 of 23 categories. Cary wins 20 and Inglewood wins 3. 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 Inglewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $689,700 median home), income ($125,317 vs $67,563), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Inglewood, CA are about 2,229 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.