City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Cary, NC

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.

176,686
Residents
$129,399
Median income
$525,200
Median home
$1,750
Median rent (state)

Cary - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Cary places in the 90th percentile for household income and the 49th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

90th
percentile, household income
86th
percentile, home value
71st
percentile, median rent
49th
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, NC

176,686 people live in Cary, North Carolina - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Cary households earn a median of $129,399 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.5%. Cary's housing stock carries a median value of $525,200, and the median resident age is 39.8 years. 70.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1,052 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 31% from five years earlier. Cary reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1388.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 59.7°F with 48.8 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,750 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

176,686 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$129,399 /yr

Poverty 3.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina 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 90% higher than other cities
Home value 86% pricier than other cities
Median rent 71% pricier than other cities
Safety 49% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Cary ranks #41 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Cary against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Cary's strongest outlier among North Carolina cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Cary ranks #20 - the 97th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Cary only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#23 of 700
97th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 746
96th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#26 of 708
96th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#562 of 746
24th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#20 of 746
97th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

90thIncome percentile
49thSafety percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income · 49th 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 54 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+)

$525,200 14th percentile more affordable than 14% 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%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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, NC Cary, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Cary, NC-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, NC median $129,399/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, NC'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, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 70.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.8%

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

Population
176,686
Median Income
$129,399
Median Home Value
$525,200
Median Age
39.8
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Labor force participation
66.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
70.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1388.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
71.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1317.4
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.7°F
Annual Precipitation
48.8"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
33
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
170,000 residents175,000 residents180,000 residents185,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 174,773 residents 183,582 residents ▲ +5.0%
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)
1,052
housing units authorized
Single-Family
370
detached homes
Multifamily
682
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,523
2020 1,515
2021 2,305
2022 1,468
2023 1,275
2024 1,052

Permit volume decreased 31% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
59.3%
Carpool
5.2%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
32.4%
Other
1.5%

Based on 92,067 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,750/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Fayetteville
209,692 people
Wilmington
118,578 people
High Point
115,263 people
Concord
106,518 people
Winston-Salem
250,887 people
Asheville
94,369 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Cary's 176,686 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Salem, OR
176,666 people
Santa Rosa, CA
177,216 people
Elk Grove, CA
177,221 people
Eugene, OR
177,520 people
Ontario, CA
178,347 people
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
174,693 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Cary's $129,399 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lee Vining, CA
$129,407 median income
Shelter Island, NY
$129,410 median income
Sturbridge, MA
$129,413 median income
Montauk, NY
$129,375 median income
Prairie Heights, WA
$129,438 median income
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
$129,442 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Cary, NC 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, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.1% 7.6% 20.4% 8.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.3% White 60.1% Black or African American 7.6% Asian 20.4% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.6% Two or more races 8.0% 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 North Carolina 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) 176,686 $129,399
Fayetteville 209,692 $56,395
Wilmington 118,578 $63,900
High Point 115,263 $61,228
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Cary, NC?

What is the population of Cary, NC? +

The population of Cary, NC stands at 176,686 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Cary is $129,399 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 North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Cary, NC safe? +

Cary has a total crime rate of 1388.4 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, NC? +

Cary's median home value sits at $525,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Cary? +

Climate normals put Cary's yearly average temperature at 59.7°F, 48.8 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

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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.