Living in Cary, NC
Suburb in North Carolina
Cary is a suburb in North Carolina, home to about 177,000 people, with 1.5 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
In short: Leafy, safe and family-centred, close to the Research Triangle. Mild climate, and car-based.
Is Cary a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Dog-friendly: 71 dog parks within 9 mi
- Highly educated: 70% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, and 3 research universities are within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Cary ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Cary: common questions
What is the cost of living in Cary?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $484k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,200 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 98, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Cary?
North Carolina collects about $1,615 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.75% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Cary safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Cary?
Cary has cool winters: winter days average around 53°F and summer days around 87°F, with roughly 5″ of snow a year.
Does Cary get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.25 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Cary?
The nearest major airport is RDU, about 7 mi away.
How Cary scores
Each bar compares Cary with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Cary right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.