Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Cary leads 17 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Virginia Beach
Virginia
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544
Violent Crime Index
24
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $37,773 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 0.9 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
Homes cost $134k less ($343,700 vs $477,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $37,773/yr
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$37,773
$125,317 vs $87,544/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
23% lower
71.0 vs 92.3 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.3% unemployment
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$134k less
$343,700 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 46 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 24 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 94.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 64.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 17 of 23 categories. Cary wins 17 and Virginia Beach wins 6. 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 Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $343,700 median home), income ($125,317 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Virginia Beach, VA are about 170 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.