Cary receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cary
Raleigh
Opportunity
87 · Top 2%
vs83 · Top 4%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs70 · Top 17%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 34%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs70 · Bottom 33%
Schools
80 · Top 13%
vs63 · Top 36%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Cary | Raleigh | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,306 | 481,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $134,905 | $85,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,409 | $52,897 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,941/sq mi | 3,187/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $580,200 | $415,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,738 | $1,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.5% | 54.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 11.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 685 | 5,124 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 10.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.0% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 31 | 100 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.89 | 14.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.1% | 40.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.3% | 52.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.3% | 51.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Cary, NC · Raleigh, NC · How this is calculated: methodology