Durham vs Cary
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $392,800 in Durham and $580,200 in Cary.
- Households earn more in Cary ($134,905 vs $81,619 median).
- Durham is growing faster: +7.6% since 2020 vs +5%.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Cary, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 305,561 | 183,582 |
| Growth since 2020 | +7.6% | +5% |
| People per square mile | 2,571 | 3,011 |
| Median age | 35.1 | 40.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57% | 71% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,619 | $134,905 |
| Median home value | $392,800 | $580,200 |
| Home value to income | 4.8× | 4.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,508 | $1,738 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 97.6 | 98.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 98.9 | 103.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $73,200 | $73,600 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 67% |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 3.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.1% | 7.1% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.3 | 22.5 |
| Work from home | 23% | 37% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 52° / 32° | 52° / 32° |
| July high / low | 91° / 70° | 91° / 70° |
| Precipitation per year | 46 in | 46 in |
| Snowfall per year | 5 in | 5 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 52 | 52 |
| Nights below freezing | 65 | 65 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.6 | 95.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.8% | +1.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.6% | +44.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Durham: April to May and October. Cary: April to May and October.
Full monthly tables: Durham weather by month and Cary weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $73,200 in Durham and $73,600 in Cary. Moving from Durham to Cary, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Durham and Cary
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Durham and Cary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.