Cary, NC Profile: Facts & Data

The Town of Cary is the 7th largest city in North Carolina with a population of 184,120 as of July 1, 2024. Cary ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density and Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in North Carolina. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Cary is located at latitude 35.7915 and longitude -78.7811 in Wake County. The formal boundaries for the Town of Cary encompass a land area of 55.16 sq. miles and a water area of 1.09 sq. miles. Wake County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

While the primary coordinates for Town of Cary are located in Wake County, it should be noted that the formal boundaries for this community also extend into and Chatham County.

The Town of Cary has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

Cary, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	184,120 (100%)
Population in Households	183,757 (99.8%)
Population in Families	155,098 (84.2%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	363 ( 0.2%)
Population Density	3,062
Diversity Index²	68


INCOME
Median Household Income	$128,780
Average Household Income	$172,895
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	28%
Per Capita Income	$66,241
Wealth Index⁵	159
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Moderate (62.3)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	74,367 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	45,920 (61.7%)
Renter Occupied HU	24,618 (33.1%)
Vacant Housing Units	3,829 ( 5.1%)
Median Home Value	$576,335
Average Home Value	$618,796
Housing Affordability Index³	89

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	70,538
Average Household Size	2.61
Family Households	49,268
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Cary, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Cary to the other 777 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in North Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	1.23%	0.98%
Households	1.22%	1.01%
Families		1.06%
Median Household Income		3.11%
Per Capita Income		2.53%
Owner Occupied HU		0.54%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 7	99th
Population Density	# 7	99th
Median Household Income	# 19	98th
Housing Affordability Index	# 256	33rd
Per Capita Income	# 32	96th
Diversity Index	# 146	81st

Cary, NC Profile: Facts & Data

Cary, North Carolina - Basic Facts

Cary, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Cary, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

Cary, NC - Most Popular Things to Do

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