Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 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
Riverside
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
88% less violent crime than Riverside
Households earn $41,869 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Riverside, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $41,869/yr
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,711/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$41,869
$125,317 vs $83,448/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
88% lower
71.0 vs 589.7 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Riverside
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.3°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Riverside, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $485,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,711⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $83,448 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 82.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Cary is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 18 of 23 categories. Cary wins 18 and Riverside 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $485,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Riverside, CA are about 2,176 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.