Cary, NC vs Sanford, ME
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
Cary
72.1
#924 nationally
Sanford
68
#1363 nationally
Cary leads in crime level (1.9 vs 4.3). Cary leads in median household income ($125,317 vs $71,848). Sanford leads in cost of living index (103 vs 125).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Cary, NC | Sanford, ME |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 72.1 (#924) | 68 (#1363) |
| Population | 180,010 | 22,251 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $628,913 | $378,830 |
| Median Household Income | $125,317 | $71,848 |
| Average Commute | 22.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Walk Score | 28 | N/A |
| Crime Level | 1.9 | 4.3 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 125 | 103 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+25.6 | D+10.5 |
Data coverage note: Sanford is missing data for 1 metric that Cary has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.
C-
72.1 Score
Cary, NC
Mid-size North Carolina city with community character
Median Home
$628,913
Population
180,010
Crime
Low
Walk Score
28
Southeast
View Cary, NC →
D+
68 Score
Sanford, ME
Small Maine city with local appeal
Median Home
$378,830
Population
22,251
Crime
Moderate-Low
Median Income
$71,848
Northeast
View Sanford, ME →