If you’re moving to Cary NC, you’re heading to one of the largest towns in North Carolina and a cornerstone of the Research Triangle, thanks in part to its central location between Raleigh and Durham. Cary is a planned, family-oriented town in Wake County, home to SAS Institute and Epic Games, highly rated Wake County schools, and more than 100+ miles of greenways. Incorporated in 1871, Cary was renamed for Samuel Fenton Cary, a temperance leader admired by town founder Allison Francis Page. Living in Cary generally means good schools and low violent crime, offset by home prices above the state average.
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Where Is Cary?
Cary, North Carolina, sits in Wake County, with small portions extending into Chatham and Durham counties. It’s a suburb of Raleigh, NC, and a core part of the Raleigh-Cary metro area and the broader Triangle area. Cary borders other nearby towns, including Raleigh, Morrisville, Apex, and Holly Springs, plus Research Triangle Park, with its western edge reaching toward Jordan Lake.
- Cary NC to Raleigh NC: about 12 miles
- Cary NC to Durham NC: about 20 miles
- Cary NC to Chapel Hill NC: about 23 miles
- Cary NC to Charlotte NC: about 150 miles
Cary is served by GoCary, the town’s bus system, and GoTriangle regional buses connecting to Raleigh, Durham, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU). Drivers rely on I-40, I-440, US-1, and the I-540 loop.
Cary Population & Demographics
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- Population. Cary’s population was 174,721 at the 2020 Census, and the Census Bureau’s 2024 estimate puts it at 183,582, a roughly 5% increase in four years. Population density is about 2,950 people per square mile across the town’s 59 square miles.
- Notable residents. Cary is home to Tim Sweeney, founder and CEO of Epic Games, and James Goodnight, co-founder and CEO of SAS Institute.
- Demographics. Cary’s population is 58.3% white (56.7% non-Hispanic white), 20.4% Asian, 9.5% Hispanic or Latino, and 7.9% Black, per the Census Bureau. Most residents, about 70.5% of adults, hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the median household income is $134,905, well above North Carolina’s median of roughly $74,000.
- Crime. Cary’s violent crime rate runs well below both the national and North Carolina averages, with NeighborhoodScout data showing about 0.71 violent crimes per 1,000 residents against a state average near 3.76. Property crime sits closer to national norms. The Cary Police Department serves the town from its Wilkinson Avenue headquarters with 198 sworn officers, 27 emergency communications officers, and 20 civilian staff members.
Cost of Living in Cary NC
Cary is more expensive than the typical U.S. city. BestPlaces puts its cost of living index at 105.8, about 6% above the national average, driven mainly by housing (index 157 vs. the 100 baseline). Groceries run close to average (103.2) and utilities slightly below (97.5). According to the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator, a family of two adults and two children in Wake County needs about $121,641 a year to cover a basic standard of living.
Typical Cary Living Expenses:
- Meal at an inexpensive restaurant: $19.50
- A gallon of milk: $3.88
- Basic monthly utilities (915 ft²): $181.98
- Broadband internet: $68.33
Source: Numbeo
Housing Prices
Homes for sale in Cary NC had a median sale price of $645,073 as of mid-2026, down 0.76% year over year, at $255 per square foot, well above the national median home value, per Cary NC homes for sale data from Redfin.
Average rent in Cary is $1,715 a month per RentCafe: $1,500 for a one-bedroom, $1,813 for a two-bedroom, $2,139 for a three-bedroom. Briarcliff and Walnut Ridge are the cheapest; Russell Hill and Twin Lakes are the priciest.
Cary’s golf communities, including Preston and MacGregor Downs, have mandatory HOA dues; country club membership at their respective clubs is separate and optional, not required to live there. For fiscal year 2027, Wake County’s property tax rate is 53.71 cents per $100 of assessed value, and Cary’s municipal rate is 36.75 cents per $100 (up from 34.0 cents in fiscal year 2026), for a combined rate of about 90.46 cents per $100 for most North Carolina homeowners. Despite the increase, Cary still has the lowest municipal tax rate of Wake County’s 12 municipalities.
Cary Neighborhoods | Where to Live in Cary, NC
Cary neighborhoods are usually sorted by area and housing type rather than by any single “best” address. Searches for the best neighborhoods in Cary, NC mostly turn up golf-course subdivisions, which reflects what local brokerages sell more than how most people actually live, since renters move far more often than golf-community homeowners. Locals typically split the town into three areas, West Cary, South Cary, and Central/Downtown Cary, plus a rental market that runs across all three.
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West Cary: Newest Construction and Closest to RTP
West Cary has the largest share of new construction homes in Cary, NC, most built after 2015, with larger lots and modern floor plans, plus HOA-run pools and trails. It’s the shortest drive to Research Triangle Park and Durham, and it’s where Cary’s international grocery and dining scene is most concentrated.
Prices here run above the citywide median. Amberly, a 1,100-acre master-planned community, anchors the area with a lake, a Residents Club, and miles of trails; housing ranges from townhomes to larger single-family homes. West Cary is also home to Preston, the established golf community built around Prestonwood Country Club.
South Cary: Established Neighborhoods and Mature Trees
South Cary’s housing stock is older, largely built from the 1970s through the 1990s on quarter-acre lots with mature trees, with very little new construction. Waverly Place and Crossroads Plaza put a Whole Foods, Target, and Harris Teeter minutes from most addresses. This is also where Cary’s golf communities sit: Lochmere, built around a private golf course and three lakes within walking distance of Waverly Place, and MacGregor Downs, an established luxury enclave centered on its own country club, both priced well above the area’s typical range.
Central and Downtown Cary: Walkable With the Newest Apartment Stock
Central and Downtown Cary mix older, in-town homes with the townhomes, condos, and apartments that have gone up around Downtown Cary Park since it opened in 2023. It’s the most walkable part of town and the main draw for renters who’d rather skip a car commute. Pricing varies block by block rather than following one clean median, since older and brand-new construction sit side by side.
Apartments and Rentals in Cary NC
Apartments in Cary span a wide range of budgets: Cary Pines Apartments and Townhomes is an income-based community with one- to three-bedroom rents from about $1,125 to $1,620 a month, and households must fall within HUD income limits to qualify. Bexley at Triangle Park sits mid-market, and Apartments at The Arboretum lists units from about $1,350. Outside of income-based options, affordable apartments in Cary NC cluster in neighborhoods like Walnut Ridge and Briarcliff. Downtown Cary apartments tend to be newer and pricier: Meridian East Chatham, a 220-unit community completed in 2025 and a short walk from Downtown Cary Park, has studios starting around $1,795.
For retirees, Fortune ranked Cary No. 14 on its 2024 list of the 25 Best Places to Retire Affordably, and Carolina Preserve at Amberly, a 55-and-up community built by Del Webb, a national active-adult homebuilder, is the town’s best-known age-restricted option.
Cary NC Weather & Climate
Cary has a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and short, mild winters. July highs average around 89°F, while January lows average around 30°F. The Town gets about 46 inches of rain and 4 inches of snow in a typical year, with roughly 213 sunny days annually. May, September, and October are generally the most comfortable months, while late summer heat and January cold snaps are the least pleasant.
Two factors matter when moving to Cary and timing the move: pollen typically peaks in April, and Atlantic hurricane remnants can bring heavy rain between August and October.
Things to Do in Cary NC
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From a walkable shopping-and-dining district to lakeside concerts and a brand-new downtown park, there’s no shortage of outdoor activities or things to do in Cary, NC, whether you’re settling in or just visiting family.
Fenton
A large mixed-use shopping, dining, and entertainment district with dozens of retailers and a seasonal outdoor ice rink.
Koka Booth Amphitheatre
An outdoor concert venue on Symphony Lake that hosts more than 80 events each season, from concerts to cultural events like the North Carolina Symphony’s summer season and the NC Chinese Lantern Festival.
Downtown Cary Park
A seven-acre downtown park with a dog park, a Great Lawn, The Nest play area, and regular community events.
Additional Attractions in Cary
- WakeMed Soccer Park
- Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve
- Fred G. Bond Metro Park
- Cary Arts Center
- The Cary Theater
- Hooky Entertainment Cary, a 12-screen multiplex with bowling and an arcade alongside movies
For an overnight stay or visiting family, The Umstead Hotel and Spa is Cary’s best-known hotel, alongside several chain options near Fenton and Cary Towne Boulevard.
Shopping is anchored by Fenton, Waverly Place, and Crossroads Plaza. Check out Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources and the town’s events calendar, including the annual Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival.
Restaurants in Cary NC
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Cary’s local restaurant scene reflects the town’s international community, with Indian, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese options alongside Southern classics and one of the Triangle’s few five-star dining rooms.
Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa
A five-star restaurant known for modern American dishes built around North Carolina farmers and artisans.
100 Woodland Pond Dr., Cary, NC 27513, (919) 447-4200
Bond Brothers Beer Company
A craft brewery and taproom in historic downtown Cary, repeatedly voted one of the Triangle’s best, with a patio and regular food trucks.
202 E. Cedar St., Cary, NC 27511, (919) 459-2670
Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen
A Southern-cooking mainstay known for shrimp and grits and Sunday brunch.
7307 Tryon Rd, Cary, NC 27518, (919) 233-1632
Cary’s international grocery stores, including H Mart, Patel Brothers, and Grand Asia Market, draw locals and relocating tech and life science workers.
Map of Things to Do in Cary
Jobs in Cary
Cary sits at the western edge of Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in the United States, and its economy leans heavily on technology, life sciences, and professional services. SAS Institute, the analytics software company, is headquartered in Cary and has long been described as one of the world’s largest privately held software companies, employing roughly 5,200 people at its Cary campus out of about 12,170 worldwide. Epic Games, founded by Cary native Tim Sweeney, is also headquartered in town, alongside major employers like MetLife, Verizon Business, and Siemens Medical Solutions.
Payscale puts Cary’s average reported base salary at about $93,000 a year, well above the national average. Job seekers can search Indeed jobs in Cary or the Town of Cary jobs board.
Cary NC Schools
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Schools in Cary, NC fall under the Wake County Public School System, North Carolina’s largest district. Families are assigned a base school by address but can apply to magnet programs or a year-round calendar, and assignments can shift year to year as new schools open.
North Carolina State University, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill are all within about a 30-minute drive, and Wake Technical Community College has a campus in western Cary. Cary Academy is a well-known private school in town, and the Cary Regional Library sits on Kildaire Farm Road.
Cary Statistics & Information
- County: Wake County (small portions in Chatham and Durham counties)
- Town area: approximately 59-61 square miles
- Cary NC ZIP codes: 27511, 27512, 27513, 27518, 27519
- Cary area codes: 919, 984
- Cary elevation: approximately 410-495 feet above sea level
- Cary time zone: Eastern Time Zone (UTC-5/-4)
- Closest airport to Cary: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), about 8-10 miles from central Cary
Frequently Asked Questions About Cary, NC
Is Cary a Good Place to Live?
Cary is generally a good place to live, with highly rated Wake County schools, low violent crime, and easy access to Raleigh and Research Triangle Park jobs. Housing costs and property taxes run above the North Carolina average, the main trade-offs for its schools and amenities.
What County Is Cary NC In?
Cary is located primarily in Wake County, North Carolina, with portions extending into Chatham and Durham counties. It sits about 12 miles southwest of downtown Raleigh, within the Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area and the larger Research Triangle region.
Is Cary NC Safe?
Cary’s violent crime rate is well below both the national and North Carolina averages, at approximately 0.71 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property crime is closer to typical levels for a town its size. The Cary Police Department patrols the town from its headquarters on Wilkinson Avenue.
What Is the Cost of Living in Cary NC?
Cary’s overall cost of living runs about 6% above the U.S. average, driven mainly by housing, which is priced 57% above the national baseline. Groceries and utilities are close to average. The median home sale price was $645,073 as of mid-2026, per Redfin.
What Is Cary NC Known For?
Cary is known as the headquarters of SAS Institute and Epic Games, its highly rated Wake County public schools, and its extensive greenway system. It’s also recognized for its large international community, with more than a quarter of its residents born outside the United States, according to the Mayor’s 2026 State of Cary address.
Ready to Start Moving to Cary North Carolina?
With highly rated schools, low violent crime, and easy access to Raleigh and Research Triangle Park, Cary is a strong contender for families and professionals weighing the best places to live in North Carolina. Living in Cary NC does come at a premium over the state average, mostly in housing, so consider this before you commit.
Make A Move has helped hundreds of families move to Cary NC, and the rest of the Triangle. Call (919) 342-3558 today for a free quote from our experienced Cary movers.
