Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Pittsburgh, PA
🏆 Cary leads 16 of 23 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
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,187
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
303,843 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $65,130 more per year on average
83% less violent crime than Pittsburgh
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Pros
Homes cost $306k less ($171,800 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $385/mo less ($1,153 vs $1,538)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $65,130/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.4%)
Snowy winters — about 44" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$65,130
$125,317 vs $60,187/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
83% lower
71.0 vs 427.2 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 83.0°F
Pittsburgh
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 94.4 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Pittsburgh
Median Home Value
$306k less
$171,800 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Pittsburgh, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 94.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $171,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,153 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $60,187 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 17.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (115) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 11.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 46.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 93.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Pittsburgh SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 36.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 41.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 44.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 303,843 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 47.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 14.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Pittsburgh's 94.4 (US average = 100).
Pittsburgh is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 23 categories. Cary wins 16 and Pittsburgh wins 7. 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 Pittsburgh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $171,800 median home), income ($125,317 vs $60,187), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Pittsburgh, PA are about 328 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.