Rents are 8% below what Cary's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,774 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: September 25, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Cary usually run 1.2% below trend in December and 1.3% above it in July, about $44 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Cary is 0.3% below its high of $1,779 in March 2023, at $1,774 as of August 2026.
Rent in Cary changed +1.2% over the year to August 2026. Across the 91 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Cary rose 31.2% while median household income rose 28.9% ($104,669 to $134,905). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Cary is 29.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 36.8% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($134,905) is $3,373 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,255).
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Cary, 27519 ($1,987/mo), costs 27% more than the cheapest, 27518 ($1,563/mo).
Raleigh, 10 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,577/mo), about $2,400 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Cary. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Cary, NC is majority owner-occupied, has a median income above the national average, 70.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Cary, NC has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Cary, NC paid around $1,431 a month. That figure now sits near $1,774, up 24.0% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $134,905 today, compared with $113,782 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Cary, NC adding about 7,703 residents over the five-year window, up 4.5% on net. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Cary on your salary?
At $1,774/mo, how Cary rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Cary rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Cary. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Cary
Last updated: September 25, 2026
The median rent in Cary is $1,774/mo as of September 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,685/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,943/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,755/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,415/mo.
At 16% of local median household income ($134,905/yr), Cary ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 1.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Cary?
At $1,774/mo, rent takes ~16% of Cary's median household income ($134,905/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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