Harry Lien, 1923
Cary’s story
193 years in pictures
Census counts: 161 in 1880, a low of 161 in 1880, 17,826 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1923 and 6 maps from 1923 on.
- 1833Cary is settled
Photo: Cosmo1976 (talk) · Public domain
Population
17,932
2025 Census estimate · +0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$381K
+5.7% in a year
Household income
$113K
median
Median age
39.2
years
Jobs based here
6,619
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#79 of 767 in IL
Why does Cary grade so well?
Because it does well by almost any measure. Cary earns an A, ranked 79th of 767 in Illinois. Residents are healthier than 90% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, crime is low: it reports less per resident than 89% of U.S. towns, and the median household earns $113K. The exception is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $381K, 4.2 years of the Chicago metro’s $91K median household income. 17% of the land in Cary is conserved, above both the Illinois town median (3.6%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 8 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score higher on the outdoors. Cary is more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns.
What makes Cary stand out
Where Cary beats most towns.
32 measures vs. Illinois
13 better19 too close to call0 worse
| Widest gap | Cary | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.1% | 15.9% |
HealthA
Healthier than 91% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cary0.4
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
85% less violent crime than IL
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Get outside
8 miles of trails in Cary
16.7% of the town is conserved land, across 22 parks and preserves.
1
Rotary Park3.5 mi of trails · 208 acres
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
How Cary grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Cary is from typical.
HealthMercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal La 4.2 miles awayAOpen →SafetyAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.8 of 20; 2.8% of households have no car; 4.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsBeat 75% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 36% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors8 miles of trailsA+Open →History5 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cary: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cary, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCary water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressPay per bag · day by addressTown site
SchoolsCommunity High School District 155Cary Community Consolidated School District 262 districts serve Cary; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMcHenry County ClerkMcHenry County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6001360013 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Cary.
Cary is one of Illinois’s best towns for the outdoors, has less food insecurity than most of Illinois and sees little violent crime.
OutdoorsA+
Conserved land covers 16.7% of Cary
Its A+ for the outdoors ranks #7 of 768 in Illinois.
7.8 miles of trail in 22 parks and preserves. At 1.2 miles per square mile, Cary’s trail density is above both Illinois’ towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Rotary Park, at 208 acres with 3.5 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
#78for trails in IL
16.7%
conserved · 701 of 4,197 acres
7.8 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rotary Park | 3.5 mi | 208 |
| 2. Fox Bluff | 2.6 mi | 162 |
| 3. Hoffman Park | 0.5 mi | 181 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA
Cary earns an A for health
Its widest gap with Illinois is food insecurity: 9.1% of its 13,565 adults worry about having enough food, against 15.9% statewide.
30% of Cary adults sleep under 7 hours. Cary beats the Illinois average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 20% of Cary adults binge drink.
91%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Cary | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 35% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
13 better19 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Cary | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.1% | 15.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6% | 9.9% |
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-Crystal La
4.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
86th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyA
Cary earns an A for safety
Violent crime is rare: 8 reported in 2025, 0.4 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Cary is 3.5 per 1,000 residents.
89%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Cary | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.4 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cary0.4
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Cary3.5
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
88th
percentile among IL towns
8
violent crimes reported in 2025
64
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Cary has 0.7 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Cary for work: only 8% work in town. Jobs based in Cary grew to 6,619 in 2023, 1,440 more than in 2013. 19% of workers work from home in Cary.
8%work in town
| Cary | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 19% | 11% | 11% |
| Median household income | $113,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cary8%
Chicago13%
Crystal Lake7%
Schaumburg4%
Elgin3%
16 mi
median commute distance
6,619
jobs based in Cary
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C−
Cary earns a C− for cost of living
66.9% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 47.9% across Illinois. The median property tax bill is $8,089, against $5,298 across Illinois, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Typical home values rose 5.7% in the year to September 2026. Cary’s median rent is $1,428 a month.
$381KZillow home value
| Cary | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 85% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,428 a month | $1,128 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Cary$381K
Illinois$296K
Market temperature
30
days on market
101.9%
sale-to-list price
+5.7%
value change, 1 year
19
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Cary
Cary has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 14° and about 35 inches of snow falls in a winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–33°
Spring37–58°
Summer60–81°
Fall41–61°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Cary faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Cary.
36risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
11
paid flood claims since 1979
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Illinois overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (39% statewide). 45% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
39.2median age · IL 39
| Cary | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 45% | 29% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 19% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 24% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 39.2 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
CaryIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school22%
Some college23%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s29%
Graduate16%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.7 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Cary | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.6% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.9% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.2% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.8% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.3% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.5% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.6% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.9% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28.5% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.1% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Nearby attractions
All 186 attractions →Wrigley Field and 114 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cary. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi Stadium & arenaWrigley Field
Big draw19 mi Theme parkSix Flags Great America3.0M visitors a year
Big draw37 mi Stadium & arenaUnited Center
24 mi Stadium & arenaAllstate Arena
Big draw40 mi MuseumArt Institute of Chicago1.5M visitors a year
22 mi MuseumMcDonald's #1 Store MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Wrigley Field: Ryan Dickey, CC BY 2.0 · Six Flags Great America: Feather Better, CC BY 4.0 · United Center: User:JeremyA, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Allstate Arena: Nkon21, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Art Institute of Chicago: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0 · McDonald's #1 Store Museum: Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 2.5
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cary
20pages on Cary
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 75% of IL districtsSafetyA0.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than IL on 13 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$381K typical home · up 5.7% in a yearWork & commuteA−$113K median household income · 6,619 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 36% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Cary
McHenry County CollegeCommunity college · Public · Crystal Lake6.9 mi$4,162 in-state tuitionAmbria College of NursingUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Hoffman Estates9.7 miJudson UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Elgin10.7 mi$31,360 tuition
About 6 of every 100 Cary residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Cary for work
Where Cary’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6,619jobs based in Cary
8%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Cary
5 notable people were born in Cary.
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About Cary
Village in Illinois, United States
Cary is a village located in Algonquin Township, McHenry County, Illinois, and Cuba Township, Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 17,826.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1833
- Area
- 6.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 823 ft
- ZIP code
- 60013
Cary’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Cary.
Trout ValleyLake in the HillsAlgonquinCrystal LakeFox River GroveCary
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | #79 | A | C− | A | A− | A |
| Trout Valley | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lake in the Hills | #180 | A− | C− | A | B+ | A |
| Algonquin | #186 | A− | C− | B+ | B+ | A |
| Crystal Lake | #232 | A− | C | B | B+ | A |
| Fox River Grove | #73 | A | C− | A | A− | A |
Trout Valley isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Cary with a neighbor →
Questions about Cary
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cary, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Cary grades A overall, better than 93% of U.S. towns and #79 of 767 in Illinois. It grades A for health, A for safety and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Cary, IL expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Cary, IL known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Drew Conner and Nicholas Livas.