Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Raleigh, NC
🏆 Cary leads 14 of 21 categories
Cary
North Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Raleigh
North Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$78,631
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
85% less violent crime than Raleigh
Households earn $46,686 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Homes cost $130k less ($347,000 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $167/mo less ($1,371 vs $1,538)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $46,686/yr
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.5% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$46,686
$125,317 vs $78,631/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
85% lower
71.0 vs 488.8 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.5% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 98.0 on the COL index
Raleigh
Median Home Value
$130k less
$347,000 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 98.0 |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $347,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $78,631 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 20.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 131⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 134⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (117) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 52.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Wake County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 51.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 49.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 4.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 465,517 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 51.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 20.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Raleigh's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Cary leads 14 of 21 categories. Cary wins 14 and Raleigh 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 Raleigh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $347,000 median home), income ($125,317 vs $78,631), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Raleigh, NC are about 11 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.