Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Nashville-Davidson, TN
🏆 Cary leads 16 of 22 categories
Cary
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Nashville-Davidson
Tennessee
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,328
Violent Crime Index
296⚠ High
Population
684,103 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
94% less violent crime than Nashville-Davidson
Households earn $53,989 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Nashville-Davidson, TN
Pros
Homes cost $126k less ($351,400 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $146/mo less ($1,392 vs $1,538)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $53,989/yr
Violent crime (1124.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4509.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$53,989
$125,317 vs $71,328/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
94% lower
71.0 vs 1124.1 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.6% unemployment
Nashville-Davidson
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Nashville-Davidson
Median Home Value
$126k less
$351,400 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Nashville-Davidson, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $351,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,392⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $71,328 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 15.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 296⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 215⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (110) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 45.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 90.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Davidson County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 89.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 4.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 684,103 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Nashville-Davidson's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Nashville-Davidson is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 22 categories. Cary wins 16 and Nashville-Davidson 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 Nashville-Davidson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $351,400 median home), income ($125,317 vs $71,328), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Nashville-Davidson, TN are about 446 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.