Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Urban Honolulu, HI
🏆 Cary leads 15 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,772
Violent Crime Index
49
Population
348,547 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Homes cost $328k less ($477,400 vs $805,500)
62% less violent crime than Urban Honolulu
Households earn $42,545 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)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 51°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $805,500
Median income trails Cary by $42,545/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,734/mo
Higher unemployment (5.1% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 106.8 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$42,545
$125,317 vs $82,772/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
62% lower
71.0 vs 185.2 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$328k less
$477,400 vs $805,500
Cary
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.1% unemployment
Cary
Summer Heat
10.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.0°F vs 79.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Urban Honolulu, HI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 106.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $805,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,734⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $82,772 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 22.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 49 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (108) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Hawaii Department of Education |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 79.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 31.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 348,547 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 42.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 48.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 21.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Urban Honolulu's 106.8 (US average = 100).
Cary is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 15 of 23 categories. Cary wins 15 and Urban Honolulu wins 8. 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 Urban Honolulu or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $805,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $82,772), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Urban Honolulu, HI are about 4,775 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.