Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Westminster, CO
🏆 Cary leads 19 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Westminster
Colorado
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$90,651
Violent Crime Index
80
Population
115,502
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
77% less violent crime than Westminster
Households earn $34,666 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 0.7 pts lower (3.4%)
Rent averages $194/mo less ($1,538 vs $1,732)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Westminster, CO
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $34,666/yr
Property crime (3540.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,732/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Cary
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Cary
Median Income
$34,666
$125,317 vs $90,651/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
77% lower
71.0 vs 303.6 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.1% unemployment
Westminster
Median Home Value
$10k less
$467,200 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Westminster, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $467,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,732⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $90,651 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 26.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 80 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 169⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 42.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 92.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Westminster Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 48.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 17.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 54.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 115,502 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 63.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 14.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Westminster's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Cary is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 19 of 23 categories. Cary wins 19 and Westminster 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 Westminster or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $467,200 median home), income ($125,317 vs $90,651), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Westminster, CO are about 1,454 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.