Population 23,673 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Cary: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Cary
Household size in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.19 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.02 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.81 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.37 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Cary holds 2.81 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 3.19 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.6 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Cary are younger than 40.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 36.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the north and oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Cary than nationally: 9.0%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cary
Renters in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Cary is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three in ten owners (28.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Cary: just 4.4% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has edged down 0.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Cary has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Illinois cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Cary was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Chicago area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1970. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,381 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,243 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,354 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,672 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$291 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cary pays $1,672 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $291 a month from 2006–10, a 21% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 25.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cary
Bachelor's degrees in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.6% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.9% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Cary is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (46.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.2% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Cary: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 35 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cary
| Period | Cary | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Cary than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cary compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | 2.81 | 40.7 | 9.0% | 12.3% | 4.4% | 1982 | $1,672 | 46.9% | 97.4% | 4.1% |
| Trout Valley | 2.22 | 44.2 | 3.3% | 15.3% | 8.8% | 1967 | $1,355 | 41.9% | 93.2% | 4.1% |
| Fox River Grove | 2.65 | 45.9 | 9.9% | 11.8% | 10.1% | 1969 | $2,163 | 44.9% | 95.8% | 6.8% |
| Oakwood Hills | 2.61 | 43.4 | 5.3% | 7.4% | 2.3% | 1982 | $1,890 | 42.5% | 95.7% | 4.8% |
| Port Barrington | 2.58 | 42.6 | 5.0% | 10.4% | 7.7% | 1990 | $1,580 | 41.5% | 98.1% | 3.4% |
| Lake Barrington | 2.46 | 52.8 | 6.0% | 7.5% | 5.5% | 1983 | $1,951 | 66.4% | 97.8% | 4.6% |
| Prairie Grove | 2.56 | 42.8 | 5.2% | 15.9% | 6.4% | 2000 | $2,899 | 46.8% | 97.6% | 2.0% |
| Crystal Lake | 2.78 | 41.6 | 8.9% | 19.4% | 4.0% | 1982 | $1,533 | 43.0% | 93.6% | 4.2% |
| Tower Lakes | 2.70 | 48.6 | 4.3% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 1972 | $1,701 | 76.0% | 100.0% | 6.6% |
| Island Lake | 2.69 | 41.5 | 10.4% | 16.7% | 4.6% | 1986 | $1,784 | 29.8% | 91.1% | 6.7% |
| Barrington Hills | 2.82 | 42.2 | 10.5% | 18.2% | 5.9% | 1984 | $2,463 | 57.3% | 95.6% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Harrisburg, NC · Fernley, NV · Forest, VA · Fountain Hills, AZ · Fountain Inn, SC · Gainesville, TX · Goodlettsville, TN · Green Valley, AZ · Greenbelt, MD · Farragut, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cary. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.