I moved to the Triangle in 1991 and have lived in Cary since 1994. I'm practically a native. I've 
watched Cary blossom into and established and well planned community. Here are some of the reasons I love to call Cary, NC home!
Location & Proximity to Research Triangle Park
Many of the Triangle area residents commute North into the RTP (Research Triangle Park) area rather than downtown Raleigh. Now that the widening of two major alternative routes to I-540 (HWY 55 and Davis Drive) has been completed and the first toll road in North Carolina is now Open the commute into RTP is a quick 10-15 minute drive to the major employers in the area. Cary is also a quick commute to the RDU Airport and the 3 Major Universities in the area.
The Great Outdoors
Cary's land-acquisition ordinance requires builders to donate land to the city's Parks and RecreationDepartment based on the number of houses that will be built. Currently, Cary has 31 city parks, including the Fred G. Bond Metro Park and Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. There's also the Kids Together Park with a large playground. In addition to community swimming pools, tennis courts and some of the finest golf courses in the area, these green spaces are what make people from all over the country want to call Cary home. 
There are 75 miles of paved greenway, 148 miles of proposed greenways, and 2551 of parks/natural areas managed by the Town of Cary. There are also plenty of public sports venues around town including Cary Tennis Park, Triangle Aquatic Center (TAC), Wake Med Soccer Park, and the USA Baseball Park
Highly Educated Community & Great Schools
Cary has a very high median household income, $91,349, and more than 61% of Cary residents hold a college degree and 25% hold a Masters Degree or Ph'D. Cary is also been touted as having the highest number of PhD's in the country. Cary schools are a part of the Wake County Public School system and continue to rank as some of the highest rated schools in Wake County. Many are still on the traditional school calendar also.
Planned Community
Planning, planning and more planning is Cary's adage. It takes but one drive around the Maynard loop, 
which circles Cary, to understand the vision: planned neighborhoods with large homes, two-car garages and well-groomed lawns are scattered throughout the town. National Geographic even wrote a great article on Cary a few years back titled "All roads lead to a cul-de-sac in this mushrooming high-tech hometown of transplanted Yankees. A friendly game of Bunco, anyone?"
Safety
Cary was rated the #3 Safest City in America - USA Today
Business
Cary has earned rave reviews for its dynamic business environment. Cary is home to such leading companies as SAS Institute-the largest privately held software company in the World. Cary has also attracted other key, world-class businesses including Siemens Medical Devices, MetLife, Lord Corporation, Duetsche Bank Global Technologies, Garmin, Fidelity Investments, Epic Games, ABB, Inc., and John Deere Company. However, unlike many towns, commercial development is regulated much the same as residential development. While other Triangle towns have rules governing residential neighborhoods, Cary insists on tasteful commercial buildings that match the surroundings. The unemployment rate is 2% lower than the state and national average.
Fiber
Cary is one of the only areas in the country with access to both Google Fiber and AT&T GigaPower allowing download speeds over 50 times faster than the normal broadband.
Downtown Cary
Downtown Cary is undergoing a major revitalization called Cary Streetscape. The goal is to preserve the days gone past but bring in businesses and shops that allow residents to live, work, and play in the downtown area. This is also where Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival is held annually, which is considered one of the finest festivals in the state. Page-Walker Arts and History Center, formerly the Page-Walker Hotel, which was built in 1868 to serve train passengers is also located in the downtown area and a great destination point.
Cultural & Performing Arts
The Cary Arts Center features a 437-seat theatre, as well as specialized art studios for clay, jewelry, textiles, woodworking, and several others types of art. Enjoy large gallery spaces, performance production labs, and space for our many creative programs. The theatre and several rooms are available for group rentals, rehearsals, events, and more. The center is alsomonthly meeting place for The Fine Arts League of Cary. If you enjoy art on a larger scale the North Carolina Museum of Art, in Raleigh, is one of the finest art galleries in the Triangle.
Entertainment
Koka Booth Amphitheatre is unlike any other venue in the area. Located among 14 acres of 
stately hardwoods and pines and beautifully situated next to Symphony Lake, the Amphitheatre blends with its natural setting. Booth Amphitheatre boasts the capacity for 7,000 people and hosts 60+ events per year including the annual 4th of July fireworks.
Built in 1946, The Cary Theater was once home to the town’s first indoor movie theater, which hosted live performances as well as films. Now the marquee lights up Downtown Cary with the mission of providing a unique setting for cinema and live performance to enhance the cultural arts experience in Downtown Cary. The Cary offers independent films, music, and live performance including comedy and improv!
Medical Care
WakeMed is Cary's top notch hospital and is located near Tryon Road and Kildaire Farm Road. WakeMed has helped to serve the growing population's need for, and access to, convenient medical care.
Accolades
For more than a decade Cary has earned numerous awards for its high quality of life and thriving business community. The town has repeatedly ranked among the top regions in North Carolina to start a business, buy a house, raise a family and retire.
Here are some additional accolades worth mentioning:
- Lowest Total Crime Rate in the United States - FBI, 2014
- #1 City in North Carolina to Get a Job(Cary) - Zippia, 2015
- #1 Best City for Raising a Family(Raleigh-Cary) - Forbes, 2014
- #1 Best Large Metro for Home Ownership (Raleigh-cary) - Nerd Wallet, 2014
- #2 City Creating the Most Technology Job (Raleigh-Cary)-Forbes, 2015
- #3 Fastest Growing US Metro (Raleigh-Cary) - The Brookings Institution, 2015
- #4 Top City to Launch a Start-Up (Raleigh-Cary) - The Brookings Institution, 2015
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#8 Among America's Best Cities to Live (Cary) - 24/7 Wall St., 2014
Growth of Cary
Attention to detail has proved very beneficial when dealing with the population explosion in Cary. In fact,
Cary has doubled its population every decade since 1960. Cary is the seventh-largest municipality in the state and has grown from 43,000 in 1990 to more than 152,800 today and has been named one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
To handle the expansion, city leaders and developers carefully control development and have built an infrastructure to absorb the growth. In fact, it wasn't until recently that the voice to slow down Cary's growth was heard. Lately, Cary officials have been developing innovative growth controls. Some of these include requiring developers to prove there are enough roads and classrooms to accommodate the newcomers, as well a $70 million expansion of the water treatment plant that serves Cary and nearby Apex.
If you are thinking of relocating to the area feel free to contact me or send me an email with any questions you might have on the area.
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