MetricCary, NCApex, NC
Population179,30670,630
Median Household Income$134,905$144,135
Median Rent$1,738/mo$1,902/mo
Median Home Value$580,200$576,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)9898
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income36.9%43.2%
Poverty Rate5.7%2.2%
Unemployment Rate3.1%3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k7553
Property Crime Rate /100k966801
Median AQI4343
Good AQI Days /yr250250
Summer Highs87°F87°F
Winter Lows33°F33°F
Snowfall5 in/yr5 in/yr
Avg Commute22.5 min25.2 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating5.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher16.217.1
College Degree Rate70.5%69.5%
Foreign-Born %23.9%20.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+5.0%+24.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.