Cary
Town in Wake County, North Carolina
Cary is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, with 174,721 residents (2020 Census). It sits at 479 ft (146 m) above sea level. The nearest town is Morrisville, 3.8 miles N.
- 174,721residents (2020 Census)
- 479 ftelevation · 146 m
- 61.4 sq miland area · 158.9 km²
- 2,847 / sq mipopulation density
- 27513main ZIP code (5 in total)
About Cary
Cary is a town in Wake, Chatham, and Durham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina and is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2020 census, its population was 174,721, making it the seventh-most populous municipality in North Carolina, and the 146th-most populous in the United States. In 2023, the town's population had increased to 180,010.
Cary began as a railroad village and became known as an educational center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In April 1907, Cary High School became the first state-funded public high school in North Carolina. The creation of the nearby Research Triangle Park in 1959 resulted in Cary's population doubling in a few years, tripling in the 1970s, and doubling in both the 1980s and 1990s. Cary is now the location of technology companies, including SAS Institute, the world's largest privately held software company.
In Cary, 68.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is higher than the state average. In 2021, it was identified as the safest mid-sized place to live in the United States, based on 2019 FBI data. It also has a median household income of $113,782, higher than the county average of $88,471 or the state average of $60,516.
Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cary weather: 7-day forecast
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Live webcams in Cary
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Living in Cary
- Median household income
- $134,905
- Median home value
- $580,200
- Median rent
- $1,738/mo
- Median age
- 40.2
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Map of Cary
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Open in Google Maps ›Cary, NC population
Cary had 174,721 residents in the 2020 Census.
| 2020 Census | 174,721 |
|---|---|
| Density | 2,847 per sq mi (1,099 per km²) |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.
Cary at a glance
| State | North Carolina (NC) |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Type | Town |
| Population | 174,721 (2020) |
| Land area | 61.36 sq mi (158.9 km²) |
| Water area | 1.11 sq mi (2.88 km²) |
| Elevation | 479 ft (146 m) |
| Coordinates | 35.7822° N, 78.8243° W |
| ZIP codes | 27513, 27511, 27518, 27519, 27560 |
| Official website | carync.gov |
| Census code (GEOID) | 3710740 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.
Towns near Cary
- Morrisville3.8 mi N
- Apex5.0 mi SW
- Holly Springs9.1 mi S
- Raleigh10.9 mi E
- Carolina Meadows12.1 mi NW
- Governors Village12.3 mi NW
- Fuquay-Varina12.4 mi S
- Governors Club13.2 mi W
- Garner13.4 mi SE
- Durham14.1 mi N
- Fearrington Village14.3 mi W
- Chapel Hill15.7 mi NW
Straight-line distance between town centers.
Frequently asked questions about Cary
What county is Cary in?
Cary is in Wake County, North Carolina.
What is the population of Cary, NC?
174,721 people lived in Cary at the 2020 Census.
What is the ZIP code of Cary, NC?
The main ZIP code is 27513. Other ZIP codes: 27511, 27518, 27519, 27560.
What is the elevation of Cary?
479 feet (146 m) above sea level.
What towns are near Cary?
Morrisville (3.8 mi), Apex (5.0 mi), Holly Springs (9.1 mi), Raleigh (10.9 mi), Carolina Meadows (12.1 mi).
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