Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
San Marcos, 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 Marcos
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413
Violent Crime Index
59
Population
94,360
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
68% less violent crime than San Marcos
Homes cost $251k less ($477,400 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $526/mo less ($1,538 vs $2,064)
Households earn $25,904 more per year on average
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 Marcos, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 51°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Median income trails Cary by $25,904/yr
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$25,904
$125,317 vs $99,413/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
68% lower
71.0 vs 222.4 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$251k less
$477,400 vs $728,800
Cary
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $728,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,064⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $99,413 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 26.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 16.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 59 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 41.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 87.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | San Marcos Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 94,360 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 61.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs San Marcos's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 18 of 23 categories. Cary wins 18 and San Marcos 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 Marcos or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $728,800 median home), income ($125,317 vs $99,413), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and San Marcos, CA are about 2,178 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.