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Living in
Cary.
About
Life in Cary
If you're considering a move here, understand that you're looking at a prosperous tech hub with real suburban trade-offs. Cary has grown explosively since Research Triangle Park arrived in 1959—the town has essentially doubled and tripled multiple times over—and that growth shows up in both the opportunities and the challenges. The job market is genuinely strong, anchored by SAS Institute (the world's largest privately held software company) plus Epic Games, Garmin, and dozens of other tech and manufacturing firms, with an unemployment rate sitting at just 3.1%.
Cary at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Foreign-Born
23.9%
Broadband Internet
96.6%
of households
Population Growth
+5.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics23.9% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Cary: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cary, the largest foreign-born group is from India (36.3%), and 6.4% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
14.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.5%
of households
Married Couples
60.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.57
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 42% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Cary
In Cary, rent runs 42% above the NC average, and home values are 101% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,142
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $613,395 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below NC average
Unemployment in Cary
Unemployment in Cary is 0.7 percentage points lower than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cary Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.5 min avg
How Cary residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cary, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 127 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 77% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cary runs 77% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
74.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
965.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cary Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Wake County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Wake County, which includes Cary, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $167,000 |
| 2024 | 29 | Flash Flood | $425,000 |
| 2023 | 29 | Thunderstorm Wind | $326,500 |
| 2022 | 43 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2021 | 15 | Winter Weather | $265,000 |
| 2020 | 32 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.6M |
| 2019 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $101.4M |
| 2018 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | $7.2M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Wake County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wake County, which includes Cary, is typically good — 250 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
250
per year
Moderate Days
115
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Wake County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cary has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.3"
Annual Snowfall
4.8"
Hot Days/Year
41
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
67
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
119
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 31°F | 3.65" |
| Feb | 54°F | 33°F | 3.00" |
| Mar | 62°F | 39°F | 4.08" |
| Apr | 72°F | 48°F | 3.63" |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 3.83" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.33" |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 5.07" |
| Aug | 87°F | 68°F | 4.64" |
| Sep | 82°F | 62°F | 5.27" |
| Oct | 72°F | 50°F | 3.71" |
| Nov | 62°F | 40°F | 3.45" |
| Dec | 54°F | 34°F | 3.67" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cary
Cary has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Wakemed, Cary Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Rex Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7 mi away · Raleigh
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13 mi away · Raleigh
Holly Hill Mental Health Services
Psychiatric · 13.3 mi away · Raleigh
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cary
Cary's student/teacher ratio is 16.2:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 70.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
42
within city limits
Private Schools
12
within city limits
College Degree Rate
70.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Cary (within 15 miles)
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
8.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 27,371 students · in-state tuition $8,815 · 85% graduate · median earnings $77,810 (10 yrs after entry)
North Carolina Central University
13.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,081 students · in-state tuition $6,733 · 51% graduate · median earnings $46,956 (10 yrs after entry)
Durham Technical Community College
13.7 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 3,890 students · in-state tuition $1,986 · 25% graduate · median earnings $40,827 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,188 students · in-state tuition $47,448 · 67% graduate · median earnings $54,417 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 875 students · in-state tuition $19,278 · 22% graduate · median earnings $38,822 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 666 students · in-state tuition $35,180 · 52% graduate · median earnings $47,869 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 62 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cary
Cary has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (62 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
62 mi awayMoores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cary
Cary Regional Library
315 Kildaire Farm Rd., Cary
Middle Creek Community Library
111 Middle Creek Park Avenue, Apex
West Regional Library
4000 Louis Stephens Dr, Cary
Cities Near Cary
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cary?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cary FAQ
Is Cary, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Cary's median rent is $1,738/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $134,905/year. Median home value is $580,200.
Is Cary, North Carolina safe?⌄
Cary's violent crime rate was 75 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 966 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cary, North Carolina?⌄
Cary has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cary, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Cary is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,738/month and median household income is $134,905/year. The median home value is $580,200. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cary, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Cary is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from