Report prepared by Town of Cary Planning Department. Additional information is available by contacting the Cary Planning Department at (919) 469-4082.

Executive Summary

This population report is prepared annually by the Cary Planning Department to provide greater detail on vital statistics, including: historical and current population data, population forecasts, demographics, and income characteristics. This year’s report contains the newest population and housing data available from the 2000 decennial census and an annual population count performed by the Town of Cary.

As of July 1, 2007, Cary’s population is estimated to be 122,643 people; an increase of 5.86 percent from last year’s figure. According to the Census figures, Cary’s population has doubled every ten years since the 1960s, growing by more than 90,000 people over the last four decades. By 2000, Cary was the seventh largest city in North Carolina; larger than Wilmington, Asheville, and High Point. However, the rate of population growth has slowed from an average annual growth rate of 7.75 percent during the 1990s to between one and four percent annually.

The fastest growing segment of the Cary population in the 1990s was the “retirement-age” population, or those citizens over 65 years old. This age group increased by 160 percent from 1990 to 2000. The median age in Cary has steadily increased from 31.1 years old in 1990 to 33.7 years old in 2000, and the working-age population (ages 20-64) accounted for a smaller share of the total population in 2000 than in 1990.

Cary has become more racially diverse since 1990. The Caucasian population has declined from 90 percent of the total in 1990 to 82 percent in 2000. The Asian population has increased over 300 percent during the 1990s, and the Hispanic ethnic group grew over 470 percent during the same period.

Cary remains an affluent community with the highest median household income ($75,122 per year) in Wake County, as reported in the United States 2000 Census. About 70 percent of Cary’s households earned more than $50,000 per year in 1999.

Table of Contents

Section One: Population.............................................................................................................................................................. 1

Table One: Historic Population Estimates 1972-2000 .................................................................................................. 1

Table Two: Decennial Census .............................................................................................................................................. 1

Figure One: Historic Population Estimates....................................................................................................................... 1

Table Three: Cary, Wake County, and North Carolina Population 1960-2000 ....................................................... 2

Table Four: Change in Population for Select Communities, 1990-2000 .................................................................. 3

Table Five: Town of Cary Growth in Land Area over Time, 1980-2007 ..................................................................... 3

Table Six: Population Forecast 2005-2020 ...................................................................................................................... 4

Figure Two: Population Estimates and Forecasts 1972-2020 .................................................................................... 5

Section Two: Age and Gender................................................................................................................................................... 6

Table Seven: Age Distribution 1990-2000.......................................................................................................................... 6

Table Eight: Male and Female Populations 1990-2000 ................................................................................................ 7

Table Nine: Change in Age Distribution 1990-2000 ....................................................................................................... 7

Figure Three: Age Distribution in 1990 .............................................................................................................................. 8

Figure Four: Age Distribution in 2000 ................................................................................................................................ 8

Section Three: Racial Diversity.................................................................................................................................................. 9

Table Ten: Change in Racial and Ethnic Composition 1990-2000 ............................................................................ 9

Figure Five: Composition of Racial and Ethnic Groups, 1990 .................................................................................. 10

Figure Six: Composition of Racial and Ethnic Groups, 2000 ................................................................................... 10

Section Four: Income................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Table Eleven: Per Capita Income and Median Household Income........................................................................... 11

Figure Seven: Household Income Distribution ............................................................................................................... 11

Table Twelve: Household Income Distribution, 1999..................................................................................................... 12

Figure Eight: Median Household Income Distribution, 1999...................................................................................... 12

Table Thirteen: Percent of People Below the Poverty Level....................................................................................... 13

The Official Town of Cary population estimate as of July 1, 2007 is 122,643.

Table One: Historic Population of Cary
Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate
1980	21,958	4.8%
1981	24,507	11.6%
1982	26,775	9.3%
1983	27,205	1.6%
1984	31,308	15.1%
1985	35,688	14.0%
1986	37,455	5.0%
1987	39,387	5.2%
1988	40,810	3.6%
1989	42,681	4.6%
1990	44,276	3.7%
1991	48,130	8.7%
1992	52,403	8.9%
1993*	57,187	9.1%
1994	61,439	7.4%
1995	69,500	13.1%
1996	76,800	10.5%
1997	82,700	7.7%
1998*	86,783	4.9%
1999	88,354	1.8%
2000	95,949	8.6%
2001	99,798	4.0%
2002	103,260	3.5%
2003	106,715	3.3%
2004	108,152	1.3%
2005	111,039	2.7%
2006	115,854	4.3%
2007	122,643	5.9 %
Figures in bold text are official U.S. Census counts Other figures are Cary estimates *Special Censuses taken 1993, 1998

Figure One:

Table Three: Cary, Wake County, and North Carolina Population 1960-2000
	1960	1970		1980		1990		2000
	Population	Population	% change	Population	% change	Population	% change	Population	% change
Cary	3,356	7,686	129.00%	21,763	183.20%	43,858	101.50%