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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Cary

North Carolina · 43,858 residents · 60.1 sq mi
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The short version

Cary is a city of 43,858 people in North Carolina. This is an unusually credentialed place: 49% of adults have a four-year degree. Households here earn about 74% more than in North Carolina as a whole. The population has fallen 54% since 2000. Households take in $46,259 a year at the median, 54% more than the country as a whole. The poverty rate is 3.2%, under the national 13.2%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 31.5
US median: 33.0
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
43,858
−54%vs 2000
vs 94,536 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
31.5
−7%vs 2000
vs 33.7 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
60.1 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K71K112K152K193K19902000201020202024Cary
2024179K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 58.1%(3,559)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.5%(3,271)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(2,965)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.7%(2,484)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.7%(2,936)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3424%(10,543)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4419.7%(8,656)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.4%(4,988)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 645.8%(2,529)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 742.9%(1,282)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 841.1%(488)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.4%(157)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$46,259
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $75,122 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,595
−38%vs 2000
vs $32,974 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
3.2%
−0.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.4% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$108,400
−26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $193,000 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$538
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $826 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
67.4%
−5.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 72.8% in 2000
32.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic79.7%(75,299)
Black6.1%(5,744)
Hispanic / Latino4.3%(4,047)
Asian8.1%(7,636)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic89.8%(39,395)
Black5.3%(2,311)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(699)
Asian4%(1,752)
Other0.9%(400)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.1%(5,522)
South American1.9%(3,412)
Central American1.8%(3,255)
Puerto Rican0.9%(1,674)
Guatemalan0.9%(1,598)
Colombian0.7%(1,247)
Dominican0.5%(966)
Salvadoran0.5%(920)
Cuban0.3%(626)
Ecuadorian0.3%(591)
Venezuelan0.3%(552)
Spaniard0.3%(474)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.2%(292)
Argentine0.2%(290)
Peruvian0.2%(283)
Chilean0.1%(253)
Panamanian0.1%(174)
Costa Rican0.1%(166)
Nicaraguan0.1%(105)
Bolivian0%(69)
Uruguayan0%(27)
Asian origin
Asian Indian12.1%(21,628)
Chinese3.6%(6,504)
Korean1.2%(2,067)
Bangladeshi0.5%(975)
Vietnamese0.5%(901)
Nepalese0.5%(814)
Japanese0.3%(616)
Filipino0.3%(477)
Pakistani0.2%(393)
Taiwanese0.2%(328)
Sri Lankan0.2%(269)
Cambodian0.1%(189)
+ 8 more asian origin groups with data
Kazakh0%(56)
Laotian0%(47)
Thai0%(46)
Malaysian0%(18)
Uzbek0%(18)
Hmong0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(155)
Chamorro0%(55)
Ancestry
English14.3%(25,662)
German11.7%(20,986)
Irish8.2%(14,694)
Italian5.7%(10,189)
American4.9%(8,839)
Scottish2.8%(5,083)
Polish2.4%(4,362)
French2%(3,512)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(2,511)
Arab1.2%(2,100)
Dutch1.1%(1,971)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.9%(1,657)
Russian0.8%(1,493)
British0.7%(1,301)
Welsh0.7%(1,265)
Norwegian0.7%(1,241)
West Indian0.6%(1,157)
Czech0.6%(1,019)
Hungarian0.5%(864)
Greek0.5%(856)
Portuguese0.4%(747)
Lebanese0.4%(680)
Ukrainian0.4%(672)
Nigerian0.4%(641)
Canadian0.3%(602)
Somali0.3%(552)
Ghanaian0.3%(548)
Danish0.3%(522)
Swiss0.3%(450)
Romanian0.2%(448)
Austrian0.2%(393)
Ethiopian0.2%(387)
Slovak0.2%(382)
Jamaican0.2%(372)
Haitian0.2%(369)
Jordanian0.2%(357)
Brazilian0.2%(333)
Egyptian0.2%(306)
Iranian0.1%(268)
Palestinian0.1%(264)
Croatian0.1%(249)
Lithuanian0.1%(220)
Serbian0.1%(192)
Turkish0.1%(182)
Moroccan0.1%(165)
Israeli0.1%(143)
Finnish0.1%(123)
Bulgarian0.1%(118)
Iraqi0.1%(109)
Kenyan0.1%(100)
Syrian0.1%(96)
Slovene0.1%(96)
Belgian0%(76)
Armenian0%(69)
Guyanese0%(42)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
48.8%
−11.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 60.7% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
94.9%
−0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 95.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
16.3%
−6.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 23.0% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.3 min
+33%vs 2000
vs 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married27.6%(19,587)
Married64.7%(45,859)
Widowed1.7%(1,191)
Divorced6%(4,254)
Women 15+
Never married25.7%(19,300)
Married59.5%(44,647)
Widowed5.6%(4,180)
Divorced9.2%(6,910)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
4.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 10.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
74.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 73.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 14.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
13.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
7.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 6.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.1%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 1.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
85.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
20.0%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 18.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.6%(1,621)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.8%(1,765)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32%(2,026)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(304)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(56)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 6,338 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Cary

Cambridge
Pop 122,588
Naperville
Pop 153,114
Frisco
Pop 236,955
Olathe
Pop 150,025
Places similar to Cary
Head to head

Compare Cary to nearby cities

CARY VS
Morrisville
Income$125,396+171%
Home value$518,800+379%
Population32,466−82%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CARY VS
Apex
Income$144,135+212%
Home value$576,100+431%
Population80,419−56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CARY VS
Holly Springs
Income$135,578+193%
Home value$535,800+394%
Population50,288−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CARY VS
Raleigh
Income$85,395+85%
Home value$415,800+284%
Population506,306+176%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Cary, North Carolina?

Cary, North Carolina has about 43,858 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Cary, North Carolina?

The typical household in Cary, North Carolina earns about $46,259 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Cary, North Carolina expensive?

In Cary, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $108,400, and the typical rent is about $538 a month.

How educated are people in Cary, North Carolina?

About 48.8% of adults age 25 and over in Cary, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Cary, North Carolina?

About 3.2% of people in Cary, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →