U.S. News & World Report: Cary Again Named Best Place to Live in North Carolina

• Cary has been named the Best Place to Live in North Carolina for the second consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report.
• U.S. News also recognized Cary as fifth among medium-sized cities and No. 11 overall on its Best Places to Live in the United States list.
• More on Cary's rankings and what makes the community one of the nation's most desirable places to live.

Cary, NC - Cary has been named the Best Place to Live in North Carolina for the second consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. The publication also ranked Cary fifth among medium-sized cities and No. 11 overall on its Best Places to Live in the United States list for 2026-2027.

"Cary's continued recognition as one of the nation's top communities is especially meaningful because it reflects what people experience here every day," said Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. "People come here and stay here because Cary offers a rare combination of safety, opportunity, beauty, connection, and service. On behalf of Council, I'm grateful for our residents, community partners, and outstanding staff, whose shared commitment and thoughtful work continue to make Cary one of the best places to live in America."

According to U.S. News, Cary scored well on value compared with similarly sized cities, while also benefiting from shorter-than-average commute times, a strong job market, lower unemployment, and higher median household income.

U.S. News also named Cary the No. 51 Best Place to Retire in the country after analyzing how well communities meet Americans' retirement needs and expectations, including local resident happiness, housing affordability, tax rates, and health care quality.

This year, U.S. News noted that affordability and quality of life were especially important to Americans choosing where to live. "As prices of everyday goods continue to rise, consumers are considering affordability as a top priority when choosing a place to live," said Erika Giovanetti, consumer lending analyst at U.S. News & World Report. "While U.S. News' consumer survey indicated that quality of life and affordability were close in importance, cost-of-living concerns resulted in many Americans putting what they can afford above their aspirations."

The annual rankings are designed to help people compare communities based on affordability, desirability, job market, and quality of life. According to U.S. News, the 2026-2027 rankings were weighted through a public survey of thousands of U.S. residents and also drew from U.S. News Best States data, Applied Geographic Solutions, and federal agencies including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The U.S. News recognition follows Niche.com's again ranking Cary in 2026 the Best Place to Live in North Carolina and USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards again recognizing The Nest at Downtown Cary Park among the best public playgrounds in America.

Primary Contacts

If you have specific questions about Town services or operations, dial 311 anywhere in Cary, (919) 469-4000 outside Town limits, or email [email protected].

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