Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Roanoke, VA
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Roanoke
Virginia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,523
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
99,213
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $73,794 more per year on average
89% less violent crime than Roanoke
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Roanoke
Roanoke, VA
Pros
Homes cost $315k less ($162,000 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $621/mo less ($917 vs $1,538)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $73,794/yr
Violent crime (620.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4055.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$73,794
$125,317 vs $51,523/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
89% lower
71.0 vs 620.4 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Roanoke
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.9 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Roanoke
Median Home Value
$315k less
$162,000 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Roanoke, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $162,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $51,523 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 20.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 193⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Roanoke City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 47.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 42.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 14.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 99,213 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 52.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 22.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 17.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Roanoke's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Roanoke is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 23 categories. Cary wins 16 and Roanoke 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 Roanoke or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $162,000 median home), income ($125,317 vs $51,523), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Roanoke, VA are about 121 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.