Wake Forest receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wake Forest
Cary
Opportunity
90 · Top 1%
vs87 · Top 2%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
76 · Top 19%
vs80 · Top 13%
Access
93 · Top 47%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
78 · Top 11%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Wake Forest | Cary | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,844 | 179,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,802 | $134,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,709 | $67,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,659/sq mi | 2,941/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $474,500 | $580,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,596 | $1,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.0% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.5% | 70.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.5% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 911 | 685 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 17.2 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.9% | -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 | 16 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.97 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.2% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 67.5% | 70.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.2% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Wake Forest
81
Your Score
81
Area Score
Cary
78
Your Score
77
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Wake Forest, NC · Cary, NC · How this is calculated: methodology