Cary had 183,582 residents on July 1, 2025, the Census Bureau estimates, up 5.1% since 2020 and 36% since 2010. Age, income and housing.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Every figure on this page comes from the U.S. Census Bureau and is linked to its source. Census Bureau customer line: 1-800-923-8282. Updated when the bureau publishes new figures.
Cary had an estimated 183,582 residents on July 1, 2025, according to the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 city and town population estimates. That makes it the largest town in North Carolina, the seventh-largest municipality in the state and the second-largest in Wake County after Raleigh, by the bureau’s count. Cary’s figures include the part of town in Chatham County. The bureau’s QuickFacts page for Cary gathers the headline numbers.
Where the numbers come from
- Population counts: the 2010 census and 2020 census
- Yearly estimates: Vintage 2025 estimates, for July 1 of each year
- Age, income, housing: American Community Survey 2020-2024, five-year profile
Growth since 2010
Cary grew from 135,234 people in the 2010 census to 174,721 in 2020, up 29.2%. Since the 2020 census it has added about 8,900 more, up 5.1%. Yearly growth has been under 1% since 2023: 0.8% from 2023 to 2024 and 0.8% from 2024 to 2025.
How Cary compares
| Place | 2010 census | 2020 census | July 1, 2025 estimate | Change since 2020 census |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | 135,234 | 174,721 | 183,582 | +5.1% |
| Apex | 37,476 | 58,780 | 80,419 | +36.8% |
| Holly Springs | 24,661 | 41,239 | 50,288 | +21.9% |
| Morrisville | 18,576 | 29,630 | 32,466 | +9.6% |
| Raleigh | 403,892 | 467,665 | 506,306 | +8.3% |
| Wake County | 900,993 | 1,129,410 | 1,257,235 | +11.3% |
Cary holds about 15% of Wake County’s people. Its neighbors to the south and west, Apex and Holly Springs, are now growing several times faster.
Age, households and income
From the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year average, so it describes Cary over that period, not today:
| Measure | Cary | Wake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.2 | 37.3 |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | 23.0% |
| 65 and older | 14.1% | 12.9% |
| Households | 69,710 | 460,175 |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.51 |
| Median household income | $134,905 | $105,768 |
| People below the poverty line | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher | 70.5% | 57.2% |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.9% | 15.3% |
North Carolina’s median household income in the same survey was $72,388, and its median age 39.1.
Housing
The survey counts 73,795 housing units in Cary. Two-thirds of occupied homes, 66.6%, are lived in by their owners, and 33.4% are rented. The median value of an owner-occupied home was $580,200, against $461,300 for Wake County and $288,900 statewide. Survey values trail the market; for current prices see our home prices page.
What this means for you
- Cary is still growing, but slowly; most new growth in southwest Wake is in Apex and Holly Springs.
- Cary’s residents are older and higher-earning than Wake County’s as a whole.
- The Census Bureau updates its city and town estimates once a year.
More: Cary history and landmarks and moving to Cary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cary, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates Cary had 183,582 residents on July 1, 2025. The 2020 census counted 174,721.
How fast is Cary growing?
Cary grew 29.2% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, from 135,234 to 174,721. Since then growth has slowed to under 1% a year, adding 1,409 people from 2024 to 2025.
Is Cary bigger than Apex?
Yes. Cary had an estimated 183,582 people in 2025 and Apex 80,419, but Apex is growing faster: up 36.8% since the 2020 census, against 5.1% for Cary.
What is the median household income in Cary?
The median household income in Cary was $134,905 in the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, compared with $105,768 for Wake County and $72,388 for North Carolina.
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