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Cary, NC has a D safety grade (35/100) with a violent crime rate of 71 per 100,000 — 1% above the national average.
FBI UCR 2024 Per-capita rates FBI UCR + NIBRS
Cary, NC Crime Rate & Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents, drawn directly from FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data. Compare against state and national averages.
Crime data sourced from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program, covering violent crime, property crime, and individual offense categories. Safety grades reflect a composite analysis of violent and property crime rates benchmarked against national averages. For context on how crime statistics are collected and what they mean for community safety, read our guide to understanding FBI crime data.
Is Cary, NC safe? Cary has a violent crime rate of 71 per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data — 1% higher than the national average and 507% above the North Carolina average. The city receives a safety grade of D (Below Average). Property crime rate: 1317.4/100K. Population: 181,793.
FBI UCR Data Snapshot: Cary, NC
Cary, NC — reporting population 181,793 in 2024 — recorded 129 violent crimes and 2,395 property crimes in the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program's Table 8 city-level submissions. The city's violent crime rate works out to 71 per 100,000 residents, while the property crime rate reaches 1317.4 per 100,000. Combining those two rates against national benchmarks yields a composite safety grade of D (Below Average), scoring 35 out of 100.
Within the violent crime count, aggravated assault accounted for 91 incidents, robbery 23, murder 3, and rape 12 in 2024. Property crime splits into larceny-theft (2,019), burglary (161), motor vehicle theft (215), and arson (8). Larceny-theft and other property offenses typically dominate city crime counts, and larceny-theft leads Cary's mix at 80.0% of all Part I offenses.
Against the national violent crime average, Cary runs 1% above the US benchmark, and 507% above the North Carolina statewide rate. Translated to per-capita risk, the 2024 figures imply roughly a 1 in 72 statistical chance of being named in a crime report that year, narrowing to 1 in 1,409 for a violent offense. UCR figures reflect offenses reported to and submitted by local law enforcement and may undercount unreported crime.
Is Cary, NC Safe? Safety Assessment
Based on 2024 FBI crime data, Cary, NC receives a safety grade of D (Below Average) with a composite safety score of 35/100. Violent crime is 1% above the national average, indicating elevated risk compared to most US cities.
Your statistical chance of being a crime victim in Cary is approximately 1 in 72 , with a 1 in 1,409 chance of being a violent crime victim. The most common crime type is larceny-theft, accounting for 80% of all reported offenses.
Safety assessments are based on FBI UCR reported crime statistics. Actual safety varies by neighborhood, time of day, and individual circumstances. Crime reporting rates differ across jurisdictions.
Safety Overview
Safety Grade
D
Below Average
Score: 35/100
Violent Crime Rate
71/100K
violent crimes per 100K residents
+1% vs US
Property Crime Rate
1317.4/100K
property crimes per 100K residents
+284% vs US
Total Crimes
2,524
reported in 2024
Population
181,793
2024 Census-based estimate
Crime Breakdown (2024)
| Category | Count | Rate /100K |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 129 | 71 |
| Murder | 3 | 1.7 |
| Rape | 12 | 6.6 |
| Robbery | 23 | 12.7 |
| Aggravated Assault | 91 | 50.1 |
| Property Crime | 2,395 | 1317.4 |
| Burglary | 161 | 88.6 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,019 | 1110.6 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 215 | 118.3 |
| Arson | 8 | 4.4 |
Per-Capita Risk Assessment
Overall Crime Risk
1 in 72
Statistical chance of being a crime victim based on 2024 data
Violent Crime Risk
1 in 1,409
Statistical chance of being a violent crime victim
These are statistical averages based on reported crimes. Actual risk varies significantly by neighborhood, time of day, and individual circumstances.
Crime Type Distribution (2024)
Larceny-Theft 2,019 (80.0%)
Motor Vehicle Theft 215 (8.5%)
Burglary 161 (6.4%)
Aggravated Assault 91 (3.6%)
Robbery 23 (0.9%)
Rape 12 (0.5%)
Arson 8 (0.3%)
Murder 3 (0.1%)
Cary vs North Carolina vs National Average
Cary
Violent71/100K
Property1317.4/100K
GradeD
North Carolina
Violent11.7/100K
Property62/100K
National Average
Violent70.6/100K
Property343.3/100K
Nearby Cities in North Carolina
Compare Cary against neighboring cities in the same state, or use our side-by-side compare tool to benchmark two cities directly.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg
F Pop: 1,003,130
Violent: 733.2/100K
Property: 3705.3/100K
Raleigh
F Pop: 488,085
Violent: 488.8/100K
Property: 2819.2/100K
Greensboro
F Pop: 304,306
Violent: 923.7/100K
Property: 3383.1/100K
Durham
F Pop: 300,208
Violent: 619.2/100K
Property: 3799.7/100K
Winston-Salem
F Pop: 254,041
Violent: 809.7/100K
Property: 2921.2/100K
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the crime rate in Cary, NC? ▼
Cary has a violent crime rate of 71 per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1317.4 per 100,000, based on 2024 FBI UCR data.
Is Cary, NC safe? ▼
Cary receives a safety grade of D (Below Average), with a safety score of 35/100. The violent crime rate is 1% above the national average and 507% above the North Carolina average.
What is the population of Cary, NC? ▼
The reporting population for Cary is 181,793 as of 2024.
How many crimes were reported in Cary? ▼
In 2024, Cary reported 129 violent crimes and 2,395 property crimes, for a total of 2,524 reported offenses.
What are the odds of being a crime victim in Cary? ▼
Based on 2024 data, the statistical chance of being a crime victim in Cary is approximately 1 in 72, with a 1 in 1409 chance of being a violent crime victim. These are statistical averages and actual risk varies by neighborhood and circumstance.
What is the most common crime in Cary? ▼
The most common crime type in Cary is larceny-theft, accounting for 80.0% of all reported crimes (2,019 incidents in 2024).
Understanding Crime Data
► ► ► ►
Understanding Crime Rates
How per-capita rates are calculated and what they mean
Violent vs Property Crime
Key differences between crime categories
FBI Crime Stats Explained
How the FBI collects and reports UCR data
Crime, Housing & Schools
How safety connects to housing costs and school quality
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Hospital quality ratings & patient safety
Natural Hazards in NC →
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Cross-data metro comparison tool
Road Safety in NC →
Traffic fatality data by county
Data as of 2024. Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.
Crime rates are calculated per 100,000 population. Not all agencies report complete data. FBI Crime in the United States (CIUS) Table 8. Population figures referenced from U.S. Census Bureau estimates where noted; state-level comparisons cross-check against state UCR programs. Verify with FBI.gov UCR, Census.gov QuickFacts, and HUD.gov fair-market rents.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program — Summary Reporting System + National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). fbi.gov/ucr
- FBI Crime Data Explorer (CDE) — current-vintage UCR/NIBRS data API. cde.ucr.cjis.gov
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) — National Crime Victimization Survey, contextual statistics. bjs.ojp.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — population denominators for rate calculations. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- CDC WONDER — injury and mortality reference for homicide rate context. wonder.cdc.gov
- FBI Hate Crime Statistics — annual hate-crime reports. justice.gov/hatecrimes
Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data
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