Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Long Beach, CA
🏆 Cary leads 19 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Long Beach
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
90% less violent crime than Long Beach
Households earn $46,322 more per year on average
Homes cost $232k less ($477,400 vs $709,700)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 51°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 89°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $46,322/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Violent crime (676.4/100k) 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
$46,322
$125,317 vs $78,995/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
90% lower
71.0 vs 676.4 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$232k less
$477,400 vs $709,700
Cary
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
7.6°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Long Beach, 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 | $709,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,698⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $78,995 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 30.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 166⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 33.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 81.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Long Beach Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 81.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 12.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 462,293 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 20.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Long Beach's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 19 of 23 categories. Cary wins 19 and Long Beach wins 4. 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 Long Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $709,700 median home), income ($125,317 vs $78,995), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Long Beach, CA are about 2,222 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.