City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Cary, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Cary - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,875
Residents
$109,790
Median income
$287,000
Median home
$1,781
Median rent (state)

Cary - the verdict

Nationally, Cary sits in the 83rd percentile for household income and the 86th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

83rd
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
72nd
percentile, median rent
86th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Cary, IL

Illinois's Cary is a small town, with 17,875 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Cary households earn a median of $109,790 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.8%. Cary's housing stock carries a median value of $287,000, and the median resident age is 38.6 years. Educational attainment runs 45.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 70.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 10 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 47% from five years earlier. Cary reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 488.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Illinois scores 100.0 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,781 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 90.8 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

17,875 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$109,790 /yr

Poverty 2.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Cary compare to other US cities?

Cary measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 83% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 72% pricier than other cities
Safety 86% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Illinois, Cary ranks #105 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Cary's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

83rdIncome percentile
86thSafety percentile

83rd percentile nationally for median household income · 86th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Cary's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Cary's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 67 Avg. percentile National median
Cary's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Cary's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$287,000 37th percentile more affordable than 37% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Cary $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Cary, IL Cary, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cary, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Cary, IL median $109,790/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Cary, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Cary, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
17,875
Median Income
$109,790
Median Home Value
$287,000
Median Age
38.6
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Labor force participation
70.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
488.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
11.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
476.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,700 residents17,800 residents17,900 residents18,000 residents18,100 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,803 residents 17,932 residents ▲ +0.7%
Cary's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 19
2020 16
2021 51
2022 77
2023 11
2024 10

Permit volume decreased 47% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.8%
Carpool
3.9%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
17.7%

Based on 9,878 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Cary sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,781/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
90.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Godfrey
17,743 people
Lemont
17,643 people
Bourbonnais
18,109 people
Palos Hills
18,139 people
Shorewood
18,218 people
Franklin Park
18,233 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cary's 17,875 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hybla Valley, VA
17,877 people
Murray, KY
17,888 people
Parole, MD
17,910 people
Anacortes, WA
17,837 people
Conyers, GA
17,916 people
Ashtabula, OH
17,919 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cary's $109,790 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Murrieta, CA
$109,780 median income
Barbourmeade, KY
$109,800 median income
Glasgow, DE
$109,803 median income
Blandon, PA
$109,775 median income
James, WY
$109,808 median income
Lodi, WI
$109,821 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cary, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Cary, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.4% 7.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.7% White 86.4% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 4.0% Two or more races 7.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Cary compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Cary (this city) 17,875 $109,790
Godfrey 17,743 $92,746
Lemont 17,643 $126,100
Bourbonnais 18,109 $81,017
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cary, IL?

What is the population of Cary, IL? +

17,875 people live in Cary, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Cary, IL? +

The median household income in Cary is $109,790 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Cary? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Cary; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Cary, IL safe? +

Cary has a total crime rate of 488.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Cary, IL? +

Homes in Cary carry a median value of $287,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.