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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Cary, NC

Population: 174,880 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

B
70/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$16,057
Total Revenue
$4.6B
Total Debt
$101.8M

Spending Breakdown

Other
43.8%$1.2B
Utilities
23.4%$657.4M
Housing & Community Development
11.7%$328.8M
Parks & Recreation
9.8%$276.6M
Interest on Debt
4.6%$128.1M
Fire Protection
2.2%$61.7M
Sewerage
2.1%$59.1M
Hospitals
2.0%$56.2M
Public Welfare
0.4%$10.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.9%$86.2M
Income Tax
3.0%$140.0M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$4.6B
Charges & Fees
7.5%$346.5M
Other
12.0%$556.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$353/person
Parks & Recreation$1,581/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)86/100
Debt Burden (20%)80/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)85/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$101.8M
Long-Term Debt$252.4M
Debt Per Capita$582
Cash & Securities$61.0M

Compare Cities

See how Cary stacks up against another city.

vs Charlotte, NCvs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Pop. 875K

C
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854

Raleigh, NC

Pop. 466K

B
Total Spending
$6.5B
Per Capita
$13,911

Greensboro, NC

Pop. 297K

C
Total Spending
$5.8B
Per Capita
$19,352

Durham, NC

Pop. 284K

B
Total Spending
$8.9B
Per Capita
$31,264

Compare Cary With

Charlotte, NC

Spending: $15,854/person · Grade: C

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Cary, NC spends $16,057 per resident, based on total expenditures of $2.8B for a population of 174,880. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (70/100).

Cary, NC has total expenditures of $2.8B and total revenue of $4.6B. The city carries $101.8M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Cary, NC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Cary, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of B (70/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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