Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Cary leads 13 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Wichita
Kansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $64,605 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Wichita
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 44°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $311k less ($166,400 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $623/mo less ($915 vs $1,538)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $64,605/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$64,605
$125,317 vs $60,712/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
87% lower
71.0 vs 538.6 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$311k less
$166,400 vs $477,400
Wichita
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 89.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 13 of 23 categories. Cary wins 13 and Wichita wins 10. 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $166,400 median home), income ($125,317 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Wichita, KS are about 1,032 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.