Located in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, Cary is a fast-growing town with a strong sense of community, plentiful economic prospects, and excellent schools. Cary is also business friendly. The software company SAS Institute and the games studio Epic Games are both headquartered here, and the Research Triangle Park is only a short drive away. IBM has been one of the park’s mainstays for decades, Cisco keeps one of its largest campuses there, and Apple has more recently built up its North Carolina presence.
Those moving to Cary are in for a high quality of life made possible by the town’s kind and friendly people, beautiful neighbourhoods, and top-notch amenities. The town’s steady flow of transplants even earned it a wry local nickname, the “Containment Area for Relocated Yankees,” a nod to just how many newcomers it has absorbed.
Cost of living in Cary
The cost of living in Cary is a little above the US average, and housing is the main reason. Everyday costs such as groceries and getting around are close to the national norm, but home prices have climbed steeply as the town has grown more popular. Many neighbourhoods are still within reach of incoming professionals, although you should expect to pay a premium compared with the wider state.
Transport and groceries fall below the national average. Despite being slightly above the national average, utilities and healthcare are also reasonably priced.
Getting around in Cary
Getting around in Cary is straightforward thanks to its central position and efficient road network. GoCary operates a growing network of local bus routes from the Cary Depot, and from there, you can connect to GoTriangle’s regional buses out to Raleigh, Durham, Research Triangle Park, and the airport. GoCary also offers a door-to-door service for senior citizens and people with disabilities.
Amtrak manages the rail services at Cary Station, the only operating train station in Cary. The three lines that stop here connect Cary to regional cities such as Raleigh and Charlotte, and reach as far as New York City and Washington, DC. One of them, the Floridian, now travels the whole way between Chicago and Miami.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 20 minutes away. It offers direct domestic flights across the US, and its list of international routes continues to grow.
Cary’s 200 miles (322km) of cycle paths and greenways make it one of the more bike-friendly towns in the state. The trails are built for everyday journeys as much as for weekend exercise, so you can ride to the nearest park, reach a school, or cycle all the way to work. Cary looks after pedestrians too: Downtown Cary is walkable, and there are plans to widen the pedestrian network further.
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Healthcare in Cary
For healthcare in Cary, the two main hospitals are WakeMed Cary Hospital and UNC Health Rex Healthcare of Cary. Just beyond the town, Duke Health and UNC add the depth of two major teaching hospitals. Between them, you have easy access to everything from urgent care and internal medicine through to specialist surgery.
WakeMed has a specialist women’s health and birthing centre. At Rex Healthcare of Cary, the specialities range from cardiac care to audiology, and there is room for integrative medicine alongside the conventional departments.
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Schools in Cary
Schools in Cary are taken seriously, and the numbers bear it out: more than two-thirds of local adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Based on their address, students moving to Cary will attend a public school in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) or Chatham County Schools. Both districts have great schools and strong student results, and children here get a genuine chance at a first-class education. Parents in Cary have various schooling options, from language immersion schools to exceptional charter and magnet schools.
WCPSS and Chatham County also offer alternative, gifted, and special education programmes, so students who need smaller group settings can learn and thrive there. Cary may not have schools that follow foreign national curricula, but several magnet and private institutions do offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate.
One practical point before you commit to a home: Wake County assigns schools by address and adjusts boundaries from time to time as schools fill up. Some schools use a traditional calendar and others are year round, and siblings are not always placed at the same one. Check the current assignment for any property you’re serious about, and look into the magnet and lottery options early.
For those seeking higher education, Cary is a stone’s throw from some of the best institutions in the world. These include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and North Carolina State University. Wake Technical Community College also has a local presence for vocational training and continuing education.
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Weather in Cary
The weather in Cary is humid subtropical, which gives the town four distinct seasons. Summers in Cary are hot and tend to last longer than the cold season. Winters are decidedly mild, and the town sees only about four inches of snow a year.
The most pleasant time of the year in Cary is autumn, when the town’s parks come alive with beautiful foliage, while the wettest time typically occurs from April to September. July is the hottest month, and average highs reach 89°F (32°C). Winter lows often reach 30°F (-1°C) in January.
Two seasonal warnings for newcomers: spring brings a famously heavy coat of tree pollen across the Triangle, and the tail end of summer can bring soaking rains when tropical systems track up the coast.
Working in Cary
Working in Cary means you’re in one of the strongest job markets in the country. The Raleigh Cary metro appears near the top of national rankings for employment and quality of life year after year. MetLife has a major technology campus in the town. Apple has committed to a large presence in Research Triangle Park and has continued to expand its Triangle workforce.
To top it all off, the Research Triangle Park is right on Cary’s doorstep. This office park is home to more than 300 companies that employ more than 60,000 people across the technology, science, and business management sectors. Many employees choose to live in Cary and commute to work in Raleigh, as the town offers safe, affordable, and family-friendly living.
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Accommodation in Cary
There are options for accommodation in Cary across some of the Triangle’s most sought-after neighbourhoods. While prices have risen, you’ll still find something to suit a relocating professional’s budget. The town has become increasingly popular due to its urban amenities, strong community values, and excellent schools. As is the case in most US towns and cities, driving is the primary mode of commuting, so new arrivals must carefully consider the distance between their new homes, workplaces, and children’s schools.
New arrivals who love the outdoors will find plenty of greenways, public parks, and walking trails around Cary. Cary Park is one of the best neighbourhoods to take advantage of the town’s gorgeous natural countryside. Its homes range from condos and townhouses to larger single-family houses, all gathered around a lake with trails along the water.
Lochmere, another sought-after Cary suburb, is known for its three lakes and a golf course, and it has a tight-knit community. Other family-friendly suburbs with access to road networks, golf courses, and top eateries include Preston and MacGregor Downs.
Young professionals and anyone after convenience tend to like Amberly. It is a newer development in the Research Triangle, so commutes to work are short, and there are schools, shops, and restaurants close by. Park Village and Wellsley have homes that are both affordable and attractive, which makes them a good fit for young families who want their first step onto the property ladder.
The new Downtown Cary Park has quickly become a favourite gathering spot in the walkable, fast-growing town centre.
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Lifestyle in Cary
The lifestyle in Cary is fantastic and offers all its residents plenty to see and do. The town is particularly great for those moving with children. Cary is incredibly diverse, so newcomers moving here will get an opportunity to experience many cultures. Cary’s culinary scene, among the best in North Carolina, plays well on the town’s diversity.
Cary’s diversity is more than a talking point. Its residents come from more than 60 nationalities, and you can see that in everyday life. The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival draws crowds to Koka Booth Amphitheatre each winter, and one of the region’s largest Hindu temples is just outside the centre.
Gourmands are spoilt for choice in Cary. You can work your way from Asian and Southern cooking through artisanal bakeries to craft breweries. Golf lovers will have their pick of country clubs, while the world-famous host of the US Open, Pinehurst, is only about an hour’s drive away.
Cary also has many scenic hiking and walking trails, while newcomers can be at the mountains or the beach within a few hours, thanks to the town’s central location. Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve and Stevens Nature Centre offer exquisite hiking trails and wildlife-watching opportunities. New residents will also find many swimming and boating opportunities at one of Cary’s many lakes.
For lovers of the performing arts, Koka Booth Amphitheatre is the place to be. The venue has hosted concerts by famous artists like John Mayer and Chris Stapleton. Koka Booth Amphitheatre converts to an outdoor movie theatre in the summer. The Cary Arts Centre is the perfect place to watch and take part in community theatre and local ballet.
Despite Cary’s relatively small size, the town is a thriving hub for pro sports. You can watch top-flight women’s soccer at WakeMed Soccer Park, home of the two-time NWSL champion North Carolina Courage. The same ground is a serious college soccer venue too: it hosts the national NCAA College Cup and the ACC finals, and university teams play there throughout the year. Newcomers can also enjoy college, women’s, and youth baseball games at the state-of-the-art USA Baseball National Training Complex.
One thing globally mobile professionals should weigh: Cary is a quiet, family-oriented town rather than a nightlife hub. Bars and late-night spots are fairly low key, so for a busier social scene, you’ll be making the short drive into Raleigh or Durham.