Signals
Cary
Smithfield
Opportunity
87 · Top 2%
vs69 · Top 24%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 34%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs74 · Bottom 39%
Schools
80 · Top 13%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs25 · Bottom 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Cary | Smithfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,306 | 12,116 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $134,905 | $43,270 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $67,409 | $30,986 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,941/sq mi | 954/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $580,200 | $242,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,738 | $658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 58.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.5% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 27.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 52.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 44.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 31 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.89 | 16.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.1% | 27.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.3% | 40.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.3% | 99.0% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cary
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Smithfield
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Cary
78
Your Score
77
Area Score
Smithfield
59
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Cary, NC · Smithfield, NC · How this is calculated: methodology