Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Springfield, MA
🏆 Cary leads 18 of 22 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
Springfield
Massachusetts
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4
Median Household Income
$47,677
Violent Crime Index
235⚠ High
Population
155,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $77,640 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Springfield
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.3 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Springfield, MA
Pros
Homes cost $279k less ($198,500 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $491/mo less ($1,047 vs $1,538)
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $77,640/yr
Violent crime (891.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2835.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$77,640
$125,317 vs $47,677/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
92% lower
71.0 vs 891.4 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
5.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.7% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 84.9°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 98.0 on the COL index
Springfield
Median Home Value
$279k less
$198,500 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 98.4 |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $198,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,047 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $47,677 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 235⚠ 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 | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Springfield |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 34.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 84.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 50.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 155,305 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 47.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 24.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Springfield's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Cary is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Cary leads 18 of 22 categories. Cary wins 18 and Springfield wins 4. 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $198,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $47,677), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Springfield, MA are about 552 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.