Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 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 Palm Beach
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $61,273 more per year on average
88% less violent crime than West Palm Beach
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Homes cost $153k less ($324,800 vs $477,400)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $61,273/yr
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Cary
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$61,273
$125,317 vs $64,044/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
88% lower
71.0 vs 575.8 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
West Palm Beach
Median Home Value
$153k less
$324,800 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $324,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $64,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 11.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 49.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Cary is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 17 of 23 categories. Cary wins 17 and West Palm 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 West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $324,800 median home), income ($125,317 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and West Palm Beach, FL are about 629 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.