Cary, North Carolina

Cary
Town
Cary Town Hall
Cary Town Hall
Flag of Cary NC
Flag
Seal of the town of Cary
Seal
Official logo of Cary
Logo
Motto: 
"Live Inspired"
Location in Wake County and North Carolina
Location in Wake County and North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°46′55″N 78°49′12″W / 35.78194°N 78.82000°W / 35.78194; -78.82000[1]
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
Counties
Founded1750
IncorporatedApril 3, 1871
Named forSamuel Fenton Cary
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager government
 • Town ManagerSean Stegall
 • Town ClerkVirginia Johnson
 • Town AttorneyLisa Glover
Area
[2]
 • Total
61.05 sq mi (158.12 km2)
 • Land59.94 sq mi (155.24 km2)
 • Water1.11 sq mi (2.88 km2)  1.82%
Elevation
[1]
410 ft (120 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total
174,721
 • Estimate 
(2023)
180,010
 • Rank150th in the United States
7th in North Carolina
 • Density2,915.03/sq mi (1,125.49/km2)
DemonymCaryite
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
27511–27513, 27518, 27519
Area code919, 984
FIPS code37-10740[1]
GNIS ID2406229[1]
Websitewww.carync.gov

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.[1] 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.[3] In 2023, the town's population had increased to 180,010.[3]

Cary began as a railroad village and became known as an educational center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.[4] In April 1907, Cary High School became the first state-funded public high school in North Carolina.[5][6][7] 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.[8][9] Cary is now the location of numerous technology companies, including the world's largest privately held software company.[10][11]

In Cary, 68.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is higher than the state average.[12] In 2021, it was identified as the safest mid-sized place to live in the United States, based on 2019 FBI data.[13] 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.[14][15][3]

  1. ^ a b c d e U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Cary, North Carolina
  2. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference US Census-2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Kelly Lally Molloy (December 2000). "Cary Historic District" (pdf). National Register of Historic Places - Nomination and Inventory. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference N&O-1971 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Byrd, Thomas M. and Coston, Lisa. Chronology of Cary High School 1896-1996. March 1996. p. 3-4. Wake County Public School System. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  7. ^ North Carolina General Assembly (1971). "Resolution 62 | Joint Resolution Commemorating the Centennial Celebration of the Town of Cary". North Carolina Legislature. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  8. ^ Keister, Amber (April 1, 2021). "Cary Celebrates 150 Years". Cary Magazine. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  9. ^ Town of Cary Finance Department. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2021". Town of Cary. pp. 14, 259. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  10. ^ "Information technology – Cary Economic Development". Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  11. ^ Lohr, Steve (November 21, 2009). "At a Software Powerhouse, the Good Life Is Under Siege". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  12. ^ "Profile of Cary, North Carolina in 2020". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "Study ranks Cary as No. 1 safest 'midsized' place to live in U.S., Raleigh 3rd safest large city". CBS17.com. July 12, 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  14. ^ "QuickFacts: North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  15. ^ "QuickFacts: Wake County, North Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2023.