Cary receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clayton
Cary
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs87 · Top 2%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
42 · Bottom 38%
vs80 · Top 13%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Clayton | Cary | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,320 | 179,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,822 | $134,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,564 | $67,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,746/sq mi | 2,941/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $329,600 | $580,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 | $1,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 70.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 390 | 685 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | -12.0% | 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 | 24 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.16 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.1% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.4% | 70.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 83.5% | 25.3% | 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
Clayton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Cary
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Clayton, NC · Cary, NC · How this is calculated: methodology