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Cary, NC

Frequently asked questions

Cary, NC

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 148th-most populous in the United States. In 2023, the town's population had increased to 180,010.

Before the arrival of European settlers, the Tuscarora and Catawba people lived in what is now called Cary. However, their numbers were greatly reduced due to smallpox epidemics, resulting from contact with Europeans who carried the disease and having no prior immunity.

Cary was incorporated on April 3, 1871, with Page serving as the first mayor. Its boundaries were established as 1 sq mi (2.6 km²), with the center being the Chatham Railroad warehouse. Because Page supported temperance, Cary's Act of Incorporation prohibited the sale of whiskey in the town's boundary and its surrounding 2 sq mi (5.2 km²); an 1889 addition the Act of Incorporation also banned "any vinous, spirituous or malt liquors, cider or peach brandies". Page left Cary in 1880, following lumber opportunities in Moore County. However, Cary's prohibition law was in place until 1964 when it was superseded by State and county laws.

Located in the piedmont region of North Carolina, most of Cary is in western Wake County, with neighborhood-sized sections in the northeast corner of Chatham County and small portions of southwest Durham County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 61.05 square miles (158.1 km²), of which 59.94 square miles (155.2 km²) is land and 1.11 square miles (2.9 km²) (1.82%) is water. Cary is bordered on the north and east by Raleigh, generally toward the north by Research Triangle Park and Morrisville, on the south by Apex and Holly Springs, and on the west by the Jordan Lake area.

Cary is seated on the boundary between the Durham Basin with its softer sedimentary rocks and the piedmont with its harder metamorphic rocks; both geologic provinces have igneous rock intrusions. The landscape is typically gentle to moderate sloping hills separated by narrow V-shaped valleys, but there are areas with steeper slopes and broader, U-shaped valleys in western Cary, roughly along NC 55 near the Research Triangle Park and north of Green Hope School Road. Cary's average elevation is 495 ft (151 m).

The Cary drainage basin includes three main creeks—the Crabtree, the Swift, and the Walnut—which are all tributaries of the Neuse River. Most streams in the area have narrow floodplains with riverine wetlands, but Crabtree, Middle, Swift, and White Oak Creeks are larger and have broader floodplains. There are several small lakes in the area, most notably Lake Crabtree, created for flood control of Crabtree Creek. Jordan Lake is a large reservoir, flood control, and recreational facility that abuts part of western Cary.

Suburbanization is the typical land use in Cary. However, some areas are still undeveloped forests or agricultural, such as the agricultural areas west of NC 55 in Green Level, Upper Middle Creek and the Carpenter community. There is a mixture of mature conifers and broadleaf trees in Cary's parks, nature preserves, and older subdivisions such as Farmington Woods, Greenwood Forest, and Kildaire Farms because tree preservation was a key design element. According to the Town of Cary Land Use Plan, newer construction in Cary, both residential and commercial, shows "less regard for tree preservation and replanting."

Health and wellness are integral to Cary's community, with state-of-the-art healthcare facilities and numerous recreational opportunities. The WakeMed Cary Hospital serves as a cornerstone of the town's healthcare system, offering comprehensive medical services to residents. Explore the parks, facilities, and programs the Cary Parks and Recreation Department offers. These spaces provide opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, sports, and picnicking. Join local fitness centers and gyms to participate in exercise programs, fitness classes, and strength training. Some popular options include  Fitness Together, Anytime Fitness and Cary Fit Project. Discover the walking and biking trails in and around Cary, such as the Reedy Creek Trail and Bond Park Lake Trail. These trails offer opportunities for outdoor exercise and enjoyment of nature.

Top sites in Cary, NC are Fred G. Bond Metro Park, Koka Booth Amphitheatre, WakeMed Soccer Park, and Cary Arts Center.

Population: 182,659 (2024). ZIP codes: 27511–27513, 27518, 27519. Area codes: 919, 984. Elevation: 410 ft (120 m). Area: 61.05 sq mi (158.12 km²).

FAQs

What major city is Cary, NC close to?

The town is adjacent to Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Amtrak provides daily passenger train service from the Cary Depot in downtown Cary, with regular service to Charlotte, Greensboro, and all up and down the East Coast. Cary is adjacent to Raleigh, the state capital, and downtown Durham and Chapel Hill are each about 20 miles away. At just over two hours to the beach and within three hours of the mountains, Cary is centrally located to much of North Carolina's charm.

What is the crime rate in Cary, NC?

Cary has an overall crime rate of 12 per 1,000 residents, making the crime rate here near the average for all cities and towns of all sizes in America. According to our analysis of FBI crime data, your chance of becoming a victim of crime in Cary is 1 in 85. How does Cary fare compared to other communities in North Carolina of all population sizes? Cary's crime rate is lower than approximately 55% of North Carolina communities.

What is the race population in Cary, NC?

Cary, NC is home to a population of 175k people, from which 89.8% are citizens. As of 2022, 22.7% of Cary, NC residents were born outside of the country (39.7k people). In 2022, there were 2.84 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (103k people) in Cary, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 36.5k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 14k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Sources

Wikipedia

Town of Cary, NC

WakeMed Cary Hospital 

Fitness Together

Anytime Fitness 

Cary Fit Project

Reedy Creek Trail 

Bond Park Lake Trail

Fred G. Bond Metro Park

Koka Booth Amphitheatre 

WakeMed Soccer Park

Cary Arts Center

Neighborhoodscout

Data USA

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