Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Portland, OR
🏆 Cary leads 18 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Portland
Oregon
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,876
Violent Crime Index
190⚠ High
Population
646,101 ✓ 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 Portland
Households earn $39,441 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 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
Homes cost $46k less ($477,400 vs $523,100)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Portland, OR
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 89°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $39,441/yr
Violent crime (720.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5526.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$39,441
$125,317 vs $85,876/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
90% lower
71.0 vs 720.1 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$46k less
$477,400 vs $523,100
Cary
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
8.7°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 80.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Portland, OR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 106.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $523,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,530⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $85,876 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 219⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 190⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (112) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 52.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 93.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Portland SD 1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 46.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 80.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 44.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 3.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 646,101 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 38.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Portland's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Cary is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 18 of 23 categories. Cary wins 18 and Portland wins 5. 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 Portland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $523,100 median home), income ($125,317 vs $85,876), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Portland, OR are about 2,362 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.