Village · Illinois
Cary, Illinois
Cary, village, in McHenry County, Illinois. Cary had 17,932 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 17,826 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 17,923 (±48). GEOID 1711592.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
17,932
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 17,826 · ACS 2020-2024: 17,923 ±48
Median household income
$113,026
±$10,663 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$309,800
±$14,246 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,428
±$258 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Cary and what county is it in?
Cary is a village in McHenry County, Illinois. It covers 6.5 square miles of land, 2,732 residents per square mile in 2020.
Cary is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Cary lies entirely within Algonquin Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Cary, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 17,932 people lived in Cary on July 1, 2025, up 0.6% since 2020, while Illinois shrank 0.8%. The 2020 Census counted 17,826 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 17,923 (±48).
| Measure | Cary | McHenry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 17,923 ±48 | 312,591 | no clear change |
| Households | 6,468 ±304 | 117,594 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.76 ±0.13 | 2.64 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 6,677 ±328 | 121,329 | no clear change |
Cary's population since 2000
From 15,531 in 2000 to 17,932 in 2025: up 15.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Cary as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Cary?
The median resident of Cary is 39.2 years old; 23.7% are under 18 and 13.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.9%. 9.1% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Cary | McHenry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 ±2.6 | 40.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.7% ±2.1 pts | 22.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.7% ±1.4 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Male | 49.2% ±1.7 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.9% ±2.5 pts | 16.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.2% ±3.2 pts | 76.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.1 pts | 3.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±1.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.1% ±1.9 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.4% ±2.4 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±1.5 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 6.9% ±1.6 pts | 10.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.3% ±1.3 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.7% ±1.1 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 44.7% ±3.5 pts | 35.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.1% ±2.4 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.2% ±2.3 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Cary earn?
Half of Cary's 6,468 households earn less than $113,026 a year (±$10,663), against $104,802 in McHenry County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $123,487 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Cary | McHenry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $113,026 ±$10,663 | $104,802 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $138,634 ±$7,856 | $130,520 | – |
| Per capita income | $50,715 ±$3,317 | $49,388 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.8% ±1.9 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.3% ±4.9 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.3% ±1.8 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.1% ±0.8 pts | 97.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.8% ±1.4 pts | 95.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Cary?
Owners occupy 84.8% of Cary's occupied homes and renters 15.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $309,800 by its owner (±$14,246). The median renter pays $1,428 a month including utilities, and 50.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Cary | McHenry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $309,800 ±$14,246 | $308,100 | +$23,664 |
| Median gross rent | $1,428 ±$258 | $1,401 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 50.4% ±18.4 pts | 38.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,269 ±$109 | $2,137 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.8% ±4.0 pts | 82.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.2% ±4.0 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Housing units | 6,677 ±328 | 121,329 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.2% ±5.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.0% ±2.9 pts | 77.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.6% ±2.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.2% ±3.3 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.8% ±1.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Cary building?
Builders took permits for 55 new housing units in Cary in 2025 (6 in single-family houses), 3.1 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Cary work and get to work?
71.7% of Cary's workers drive alone and 18.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 28.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.0%.
| Measure | Cary | McHenry County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.2% ±2.5 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% ±1.9 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 71.7% ±4.2 pts | 72.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.8% ±2.2 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.5% ±2.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.8% ±3.6 pts | 16.1% | +11.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.4 min ±2.1 | 30.1 min | −4.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Cary?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Cary, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $103,819 (Tract 8716) to $131,290 (Tract 8713.07).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8713.12McHenry County | 5,867 | $128,245 |
| Tract 8713.07McHenry County | 5,310 | $131,290 |
| Tract 8716McHenry County | 4,954 | $103,819 |
| Tract 8713.05McHenry County | 5,706 | $183,094 |
| Tract 8713.04McHenry County | 4,050 | $87,331 |
| Tract 8713.13McHenry County | 2,018 | $63,378 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Cary) · Census block assignment files
How does Cary compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Cary is the 2,111th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 142nd-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Cary ranks 201st of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 142nd | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 212th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 183rd | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 201st | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 250th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 233rd | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 241st | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 977th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 208th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 908th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 364th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 172nd | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 405th | 1,382 |
Cary's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Cary with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Cary?
12 of the 57 figures for Cary on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Cary are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Cary.