Cary: One of the nation’s best places to live.

Beaches to our east, mountains to our west and vibrant cities in between bring young professionals and growing families to Cary, North Carolina.

Founded in 1750, Cary is the state’s sixth-largest city and is located between Raleigh and Research Triangle Park, in an area consistently ranked among the best regions in the country to live, work and play. In 2001, Cary was declared the fourth safest of 327 large municipalities in the nation in the 8th Annual Morgan Quitno Safest (And Most Dangerous) City Award. As Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Jr. says, “We are close to numerous colleges and universities and are known for having tree-lined streets, well-planned subdivisions, beautiful office parks, world class recreation amenities, abundant shopping, and a revitalizing downtown, all of which truly make Cary a great place to live, work, play, raise a family, and do business.”

Come here for the community

The Raleigh/Cary communities are an interesting blend of historic, tree-lined streetscapes and energetic urban life. Each has its own pace and influences, from walkable shopping and dining centers with a small-town feel, to the faster-paced entertainment districts where students and professors from seven area colleges and major universities contribute to the diverse mix of people and points of view.

Outdoor recreational choices are almost endless in this part of the Southeast, where four distinct but temperate seasons offer 220 days of sunshine annually. 12,512 acres of parks (according to the Trust for Public Land) make it easy to enjoy the abundant sunshine. The League of American Bicyclists has designated Cary as one of the fourteen recipients of the first Bicycle-Friendly Community awards for “providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and encouraging residents to bike for transportation and recreation.” The Maine-to-Florida U.S. Bicycle Route #1 passes through suburban Cary, as does N.C. Bicycle Route #2, the "Mountains to Sea" route.

Cary is progressive – the Town of Cary conserves drinking water by reclaiming treated wastewater for irrigation and industrial processes, preserves open space, and works with citizens and county leaders to make our schools even better. The community places value on creating an exceptional environment and providing outstanding services that enable the area to prosper and grow.

Stay here to work and live well

Well-deserved accolades for the area touch on every aspect of the local quality of life, from the reasonable cost of living to favorable employment and housing markets. Families with children have access to an exceptional school system, with Raleigh ranked first among public schools with 300,000-plus people and Cary third among cities with a population from 100,000 to 300,000. Housing choices run the gamut from hip downtown condos to outlying suburban neighborhoods. Education, health and government are the three largest industries in the area, which is also internationally known for thriving high-tech companies, including a concentration of more than 30 video game development companies.

Recreation

There are tons of outdoor things to do in the area. Many people find boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding or swimming at Jordan, Falls Lake or Kerr Lake at the top of their list. Nearly 4000 acres of natural resources surround Eno River State Park, which is located minutes from Durham and Chapel Hill. Down the road from Raleigh-Durham International Airport is Umstead Park, which offers 5,500 acres of tranquility minutes from I40. Another major interest in the area is the American Tobacco Trail, which works with local and state government officials to preserve local abandoned railroad corridors for future transportation and other interim uses such as recreational trails. All of North Carolina holds a variety of festivals nearly year-round, offering everything from craft fairs to the Beer, Bourbon and BBQ festival.  Every October, Raleigh hosts the North Carolina State Fair.

Entertainment

If you enjoy cultural arts, make sure you visit one of the many museums the Triangle offers or spend the day at an outdoor concert at Koka Booth Amphitheater or Pavilion at Walnut Creek. Take in the ballet or a Broadway musical at the Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts in Raleigh. See anyone from Duran Duran to Ted Nugent to Kathy Griffin at the Durham Center for Performing Arts.

Sports

If you enjoy professional sports, you have several options. Get into the fight at a Carolina Hurricanes Hockey game.  Score a goal with the Carolina Railhawks Men's Soccer Team or hit a home run with the Durham Bulls. The Carolina Panthers are just a short drive away in Charlotte. Local Universities bring out the college rivalries in Triangle residents. Who will you cheer for – the UNC Tarheels, NC State Wolfpack, Duke Blue Devils, ECU Pirates, or Wake Forest Demon Deacons?  

Enjoy all four seasons in North Carolina

North Carolina offers enjoyable weather year round with four distinctive seasons. Just when you're ready for a change-you get change. You'll enjoy the beautiful colors of fall across the parkway and throughout NC as the trees begin to change to shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. Excitement is in the air as school and football come along with the fall season.  The sun still shines in the winter and if we're lucky, we'll receive a stunning blanket of white snow as well. During the holidays, it’s a great time to travel to the mountains to cut a fresh Christmas tree for your home. Spring marches in with magnificent shades of pinks, yellows, lilacs, and pale green. The community comes alive in the spring with outdoor activities.  Summer won't be outdone with its glorious sunshine and long days. Residents cherish the time at the pool or in one of the many area parks, or spent with friends and family at BBQs.  Just when you're ready for a break, the seasons begin again.  

Universities

You'll find some of the top universities in the Triangle area, which is what brings many families here. Known for its schools of medicine and technology, NC has a lot to offer the scholar. In the heart of Raleigh you'll find NC State. Not far away, Chapel Hill offers the University of North Carolina and in Durham, Duke University.  

Schools:

 North Carolina continues to set and achieve higher goals each year. That evidence is strongest in Wake County, where the average SAT scores exceed the state and national average. Not only will you find great public schools, charter, magnet, and private schools are widely available.

You can visit www.greatschools.org to get more information on local schools, teachers, students, test scores reviews from parents and even find homes for sale near the school you prefer.

Opportunities for the kids – and parents too:

 There are so many activities for kids in the Triangle that you can't possibly do everything. When it comes to sports, soccer, swimming, lacrosse, dance, cheer, gymnastics, ice hockey, golf, horseback riding, football, and baseball are just a few. There are many adult sports leagues too.  If your child is fortunate enough to be creative, you'll find many opportunities for them to practice their skills through music, drama and art.  Maybe your child enjoys more intellectual activities?  There are many interactive museums, such as Marbles in Raleigh and programs such as IMACS to stimulate their minds. Raleigh alone boasts 51 museums. You'll find church activities and community service projects for the entire family. Other notable organizations to check into are National League of Junior Cotillions, YMCA of the Triangle, C'est si Bon! Cooking School, Impact Athletics and Fitness Center, Duke Talent Identification Program, and Institute of Reading Development at NCSU.