Cary receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wendell
Cary
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs87 · Top 2%
Growth
75 · Top 11%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs72 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 21%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
34 · Bottom 27%
vs80 · Top 13%
Access
87 · Bottom 34%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
83 · Top 3%
vs74 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Wendell | Cary | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,064 | 179,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,787 | $134,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,514 | $67,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,387/sq mi | 2,941/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $330,500 | $580,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,457 | $1,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 70.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,079 | 685 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 82.6 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.5% | -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 | 25 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.28 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.7% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.9% | 70.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.8% | 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.
Full profiles: Wendell, NC · Cary, NC · How this is calculated: methodology