Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
West Covina, CA
🏆 Cary leads 17 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
West Covina
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,219
Violent Crime Index
63
Population
108,173
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
70% less violent crime than West Covina
Homes cost $187k less ($477,400 vs $664,500)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $516/mo less ($1,538 vs $2,054)
Households earn $29,098 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
West Covina, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (239.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 51°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $664,500
Higher rents — median is $2,054/mo
Median income trails Cary by $29,098/yr
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$29,098
$125,317 vs $96,219/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
70% lower
71.0 vs 239.3 per 100k
Cary
Median Home Value
$187k less
$477,400 vs $664,500
Cary
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | West Covina, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High ✓ Lower | $664,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,054⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $96,219 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 100 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 29.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 86.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | West Covina Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 67.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 108,173 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 39.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 62.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 19.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs West Covina's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 17 of 23 categories. Cary wins 17 and West Covina 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 West Covina or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $664,500 median home), income ($125,317 vs $96,219), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and West Covina, CA are about 2,203 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.