Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Newark, NJ
🏆 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
Newark
New Jersey
3
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$46,460
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
307,355 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $78,857 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than Newark
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.3 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)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Newark, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $165k less ($312,300 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $265/mo less ($1,273 vs $1,538)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $78,857/yr
Violent crime (581.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Cary
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$78,857
$125,317 vs $46,460/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
88% lower
71.0 vs 581.2 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
7.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 10.7% unemployment
Newark
Median Home Value
$165k less
$312,300 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Newark, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $312,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,273 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $46,460 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 10.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 4.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 17.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Newark Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 39.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 50.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 307,355 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 23.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 10.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Newark's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 20 of 23 categories. Cary wins 20 and Newark 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 Newark or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $312,300 median home), income ($125,317 vs $46,460), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Newark, NJ are about 424 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.