Residential comparison · 13 facts
Cary, NC vs Raleigh, NC
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Cary needs about $84,000 in Raleigh to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Raleigh, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Cary.
A few differences
- Raleigh is lower on property tax rate (0.8% vs 0.82%).
- Cary is lower on sales tax (7% vs 7.25%).
- Cary is lower on groceries index (98 vs 99).
Cary vs Raleigh · facet by facet
| Facet | Cary, NC | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $580,200 | $440,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,699/mo | $1,700/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.82% | 0.8% |
| State & local income tax | 3.15% | 3.15% |
| Sales tax | 7% | 7.25% |
| Cost of living index | 114 | 98 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 99 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $150/mo |
| Median household income | $134,905 | $78,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 35/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 213 days | 213 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Cary, NC · Raleigh, NC
Questions & answers
- Is Cary cheaper than Raleigh?
- Raleigh has the lower day-to-day cost index (98 vs 114 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Raleigh equals $85,000 in Cary?
- A household earning $85,000 in Cary needs about $84,000 in Raleigh to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Raleigh lifestyle costs about $86,000 in Cary.