Living in Cary, NC
Wake County
Cary is the largest and most affluent of the Triangle's satellite suburbs, built around master-planned neighborhoods, consistently well-regarded Wake County public schools, and a real corporate anchor rather than just bedroom-community status: SAS Institute, one of the largest privately held software companies, has been headquartered in Cary since its founding. Housing runs meaningfully above the Raleigh city median -- roughly $645K as of mid-2026 -- reflecting that affluence and school-district demand rather than a data gap.
Explore Cary in depth
- Moving to Cary: Pros, Cons & What to Know
- Cost of Living in Cary
- Housing Market in Cary
- Buying a Home in Cary
- Renting in Cary
- Taxes in Cary
- Homeowners Insurance & Natural Hazard Costs in Cary
- Climate & Weather in Cary
- Jobs & Economy in Cary
- Schools in Cary
- Crime & Safety in Cary
- Healthcare in Cary
- Traffic & Transportation in Cary
- Best Areas to Live in Cary
- Pros and Cons of Living in Cary
- Retiring in Cary
- Who Should / Shouldn’t Move to Cary
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Learn moreHousing
Redfin cited $645,149 for the trailing month ending June 2026 (down 0.75% YoY), with the trailing-3-month figure also landing at roughly $645K -- the two windows agree closely, so treat $645K as a reasonably solid current figure rather than a wide range.
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Wake County level this session. North Carolina's top state income tax rate is 3.99%. See the North Carolina hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Cary-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Top-rated Wake County schools, low crime, and genuinely master-planned neighborhoods rather than sprawl; a real anchor employer in SAS Institute, not just proximity to Raleigh/RTP jobs.
Cons
The most expensive of this batch of satellite towns, with a median sale price well above Raleigh proper; car-dependent suburban layout typical of Triangle-area master-planned communities.
Who this fits
Best for: Families prioritizing top-tier public schools and young professionals with SAS or broader RTP-area tech jobs who can afford Cary's price premium over Raleigh.
Maybe not for you if: Buyers on a tighter budget, or those wanting a historic small-town core rather than planned-community subdivisions, should look at Apex or Wake Forest instead.
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