Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Jurupa Valley, CA
🏆 Cary leads 17 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Jurupa Valley
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,562
Violent Crime Index
49
Population
105,672
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
61% less violent crime than Jurupa Valley
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $33,755 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Jurupa Valley, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $33,755/yr
Property crime (2518.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 3.4%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$33,755
$125,317 vs $91,562/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
61% lower
71.0 vs 184.3 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.8% unemployment
Jurupa Valley
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Jurupa Valley, 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 ✓ Lower | $481,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,618⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $91,562 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 32.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 49 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 120⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 14.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 71.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Jurupa Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 12.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 105,672 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% | 69.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 25.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Jurupa Valley's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Cary is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 17 of 23 categories. Cary wins 17 and Jurupa Valley wins 6. 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 Jurupa Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $481,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $91,562), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Jurupa Valley, CA are about 2,179 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.