Cary, NC vs Raleigh, NC
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Oct 2026
Report card
| Category | CaryCary, NC | RaleighRaleigh, NC | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Good | Average | |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | Very Safe | Elevated | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Great | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | Same |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | Same |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
964 property crimes per 100,000 people in Cary, NC and 2,296 in Raleigh, NC show a 2.4× higher rate in Raleigh, based on 2025 FBI data. Violent crime per 100,000 is 75 in Cary and 391 in Raleigh, a 5.2× higher figure in Raleigh, placing Cary in the 15th percentile and Raleigh in the 77th. The poverty rate in Cary is 5.3% versus 11.4% in Raleigh, a 6.1-point difference, with Cary in the 14th percentile and Raleigh in the 49th. Median household income in Cary is $129,399, 57% higher than Raleigh's $82,424, placing Cary in the 91st percentile and Raleigh in the 62nd.
2023 Census figures also show the median age in Cary is 39.8, 5.1 years older than Raleigh's 34.7, with Cary in the 64th percentile and Raleigh in the 23rd. Average household size is 2.6 in Cary and 2.3 in Raleigh, 13% larger in Cary, placing Cary in the 67th percentile and Raleigh in the 31st. Work-from-home rates are 32.4% in Cary, 17.9 points higher than Raleigh's 14.5%, with Cary in the 97th percentile and Raleigh in the 68th. Unemployment and job growth are identical at 3.2% and +2.1% respectively, both in the 29th and 78th percentiles.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 15881st pctl | 12967th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Cary, NC 158; Raleigh, NC 129; Cary is 22% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $525,20083rd pctl | $377,80069th pctl | Median home value: Cary, NC $525,200; Raleigh, NC $377,800; Cary is 39% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,62176th pctl | $1,46869th pctl | Median rent: Cary, NC $1,621; Raleigh, NC $1,468; Cary is 10% higher. |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $129,39991st pctl | $82,42462nd pctl | Median household income: Cary, NC $129,399; Raleigh, NC $82,424; Cary is 57% higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $102,03786th pctl | $73,40070th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Cary, NC $102,037; Raleigh, NC $73,400; Cary is 39% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $149,99586th pctl | $107,89870th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Cary, NC $149,995; Raleigh, NC $107,898; Cary is 39% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Stretched | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Raleigh needs about
$61,200
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 158 vs 129). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 3.2%29th pctl | 3.2%29th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +2.1%78th pctl | +2.1%78th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $64,59090th pctl | $49,94877th pctl | Per-capita income: Cary, NC $64,590; Raleigh, NC $49,948; Cary is 29% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 5.3%14th pctl | 11.4%49th pctl | Poverty rate: Cary, NC 5.3%; Raleigh, NC 11.4%; Raleigh is 6.1 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 22.7 min45th pctl | 25.1 min62nd pctl | Average commute: Cary, NC 22.7 min; Raleigh, NC 25.1 min; Raleigh is 2 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 32.4%97th pctl | 14.5%68th pctl | Work from home: Cary, NC 32.4%; Raleigh, NC 14.5%; Cary is 17.9 points higher. |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Strong | Stable | Economic opportunity: Cary, NC B+; Raleigh, NC C+; Cary is graded higher. |
| Job market | Strong | Strong | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 7515th pctl | 39177th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Cary, NC 75; Raleigh, NC 391; Raleigh is 5.2 times higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 96431st pctl | 2,29683rd pctl | Property crime per 100k: Cary, NC 964; Raleigh, NC 2,296; Raleigh is 2.4 times higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Flat | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Very Safe | Fair | Crime & safety: Cary, NC A; Raleigh, NC C-; Cary is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Very SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| ClimateClimate comfort | Humid | Humid | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
3 rows not shown: broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in North Carolina, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See North Carolina →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 8 mi8th pctl | 4 mi3rd pctl | Nearest large city: Cary, NC 8 mi; Raleigh, NC 4 mi; Cary is 2.2 times higher. |
| Target proximity | Weak | Weak | About the same |
| To borderDistance to international border | 495 mi68th pctl | 493 mi68th pctl | About the same |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 118 mi31st pctl | 117 mi31st pctl | About the same |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 176,68694th pctl | 470,76398th pctl | Population: Cary, NC 176,686; Raleigh, NC 470,763; Raleigh is 2.7 times larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 2,89276th pctl | 3,07179th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Cary, NC 2,892; Raleigh, NC 3,071; Raleigh is 6% higher. |
| Median age | 39.864th pctl | 34.723rd pctl | Median age: Cary, NC 39.8; Raleigh, NC 34.7; Cary is 5.1 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.2%94th pctl | 52.9%83rd pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Cary, NC 70.2%; Raleigh, NC 52.9%; Cary is 17.3 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.667th pctl | 2.331st pctl | Average household size: Cary, NC 2.6; Raleigh, NC 2.3; Cary is 13% larger. |
More about Cary's residents · Raleigh's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
Moving between Cary and Raleigh
- Median rent: $1,621 in Cary, $1,468 in Raleigh
- Median home value: $525,200 in Cary, $377,800 in Raleigh
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 158 in Cary, 129 in Raleigh
- Median household income: $129,399 in Cary, $82,424 in Raleigh
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $149,995 in Cary, $107,898 in Raleigh
- Unemployment: 3.2% in Cary, 3.2% in Raleigh
- Average commute: 22.7 min in Cary, 25.1 min in Raleigh
- Violent crime per 100k: 75 in Cary, 391 in Raleigh
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- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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