Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
San Buenaventura (Ventura), 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 ✓ Larger
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,036
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
110,358
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
80% less violent crime than San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Homes cost $237k less ($477,400 vs $714,000)
Households earn $29,281 more per year on average
Rent averages $404/mo less ($1,538 vs $1,942)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 89°F
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 51°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $714,000
Median income trails Cary by $29,281/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,942/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$29,281
$125,317 vs $96,036/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
80% lower
71.0 vs 354.5 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$237k less
$477,400 vs $714,000
Cary
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.9% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
16.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 72.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $714,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,942⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $96,036 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 24.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 13.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 40.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 91.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Ventura Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 65.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 110,358 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 41.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 56.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs San Buenaventura (Ventura)'s 113.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 18 of 23 categories. Cary wins 18 and San Buenaventura (Ventura) 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 San Buenaventura (Ventura) or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $714,000 median home), income ($125,317 vs $96,036), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA are about 2,274 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.