Cary

Population: 176,686
Median household income: $129,399
Median home value: $525,200

Located in Wake County, North Carolina, Cary is a community with a population of 176,686. Its median household income of $129,399 runs above the Wake County figure of $101,763.

Between 2019 and 2023, Cary's population grew 6.3% from 166,268 to 176,686, while its median home value rose 47.4% from $356,400 to $525,200.

Owners occupy 66.3% of the area's occupied homes. The median resident is 39.8 years old.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 176,686
Median age: 39.8 yrs
Median household income: $129,399
Median home value: $525,200
Median gross rent: $1,621
Housing units: 72,634
Homeownership rate: 66.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 70.2%
Unemployment rate: 3.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

166,268176,686

Median household income

$104,669$129,399

Median home value

$356,400$525,200

Median gross rent

$1,246$1,621

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	166,268	$104,669	$356,400	$1,246
2020	169,177	$107,463	$376,600	$1,312
2021	171,603	$113,782	$404,300	$1,392
2022	174,880	$125,317	$477,400	$1,538
2023	176,686	$129,399	$525,200	$1,621

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.1%

5 to 1719.0%

18 to 247.2%

25 to 3411.7%

35 to 4415.0%

45 to 5415.5%

55 to 6412.7%

65 to 748.3%

75 and over5.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	9,066	5.1%
5 to 17	33,494	19.0%
18 to 24	12,771	7.2%
25 to 34	20,638	11.7%
35 to 44	26,521	15.0%
45 to 54	27,332	15.5%
55 to 64	22,360	12.7%
65 to 74	14,672	8.3%
75 and over	9,832	5.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	102,517	58.0%
Black or African American	12,903	7.3%
American Indian & Alaska Native	239	0.1%
Asian	36,016	20.4%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	157	0.1%
Some other race	1,394	0.8%
Two or more races	6,981	4.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	16,479	9.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma3.7%

High school graduate8.0%

Some college or associate's18.1%

Bachelor's degree37.4%

Graduate or professional degree32.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	4,457	3.7%
High school graduate	9,711	8.0%
Some college or associate's	21,960	18.1%
Bachelor's degree	45,333	37.4%
Graduate or professional degree	39,894	32.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone59.3%

Carpooled5.2%

Public transit0.4%

Walked1.2%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home32.4%

Other means1.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	54,597	59.3%
Carpooled	4,767	5.2%
Public transit	400	0.4%
Walked	1,071	1.2%
Bicycle	146	0.2%
Worked from home	29,871	32.4%
Other means	1,215	1.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	14,648	23.6%
15 to 29 min	31,139	50.1%
30 to 44 min	11,765	18.9%
45 to 59 min	2,480	4.0%
60+ min	2,164	3.5%

Households

Average household size: 2.59
Poverty rate: 5.3% (9,309 of 176,287)

	Count	Share
Family households	48,018	70.7%
Nonfamily households	19,946	29.3%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1999

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	67,964	93.6%
Vacant	4,670	6.4%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	45,082	66.3%
Renter-occupied	22,882	33.7%

1-unit, detached59.5%

1-unit, attached12.8%

2 to 4 units2.2%

5 to 19 units13.9%

20 or more units10.9%

Mobile home & other0.8%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	43,241	59.5%
1-unit, attached	9,294	12.8%
2 to 4 units	1,580	2.2%
5 to 19 units	10,072	13.9%
20 or more units	7,887	10.9%
Mobile home & other	560	0.8%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3710740
Type (LSAD): 43
Land area: 61 sq mi
Water area: 1.11 sq mi
Center point: 35.7813, -78.8234