Cary, North Carolina

**Cary** is the second largest city in Wake County, North Carolina, United States.  At the 2020 census, Cary had a population of 174,721. As of 2007, Cary was the 8th fastest growing city in the United States.

## History

Cary began in 1750 as a settlement called Bradford's Ordinary.  About 100 years later, the North Carolina Railroad was built between New Bern and Hillsborough and the railroad went through the settlement.  Allison Francis Page, a farmer and lumberman, and his wife, Catherine Raboteau Page bought 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land surrounding the railroad in 1854 and named it Cary.  Page made the first streets in Cary and built a sawmill, a store and a post office.  In 1868, he built a hotel for railroad passengers coming through Cary. Cary officially became a town on April 6, 1871, and Page became the first mayor.

## Education

There are many schools in Cary.  The public schools are run by the Wake County Public School System.  There are also many private schools, both religious and non-religious.  Private schooling and home schooling are popular among many Cary residents.

## Transportation

The Town of Cary operates a local bus system called GoCary. It was called C-Tran until 2016.  Cary also has an Amtrak station and is just a few miles away from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.  Cary has bike trails. Some neighborhoods have sidewalks.

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Cary, North Carolina
- **settlement type**: Town
- **motto**: "Live Inspired"
- **image skyline**: Cary, North Carolina. Cary, NC.jpg
- **image caption**: Cary Town Hall
- **image map**: Wake County North Carolina incorporated and unincorporated areas Cary highlighted.svg
- **map caption**: Location in Wake County, North Carolina, Wake County and North Carolina
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision name**: United States
- **subdivision type1**: List of states and territories of the United States, State
- **subdivision name1**: North Carolina
- **subdivision type2**: List of counties in North Carolina, Counties
- **government type**: Council-manager government
- **leader title**: Mayor
- **established title**: Founded
- **established date**: 1750
- **established title2**: Municipal corporation, Incorporated
- **established date2**: April 3, 1871
- **named for**: Samuel Fenton Cary
- **total type**: Total
- **unit pref**: Imperial
- **area total km2**: 158.12
- **area total sq mi**: 61.05
- **area land km2**: 155.24
- **area land sq mi**: 59.94
- **area water km2**: 2.88
- **area water sq mi**: 1.11
- **area water percent**: 1.82
- **elevation ft**: 410
- **population as of**: 2020 United States census, 2020
- **population total**: 174721
- **population density sq mi**: 2915.03
- **population density km2**: 1125.49
- **population rank**: List of United States cities by population, 150th in the United States
 List of municipalities in North Carolina, 7th in North Carolina
- **population demonym**: Caryite
- **timezone**: North American Eastern Time Zone, EST
- **utc offset**: -5
- **timezone dst**: EDT
- **utc offset dst**: -4
- **postal code type**: ZIP Codes
- **postal code**: 27511–27513, 27518, 27519
- **area code type**: North American Numbering Plan, Area code
- **area codes**: Area code 919, 919, 984
- **blank name**: Federal Information Processing Standard, FIPS code
- **blank info**: 37-10740
- **blank1 name**: Geographic Names Information System, GNIS ID
- **blank1 info**: 2406229
- **flag alt**: Flag of Cary NC
- **seal alt**: Seal of the town of Cary
- **leader title1**: City manager, Town Manager
- **leader title2**: Municipal clerk, Town Clerk
- **leader title3**: City attorney, Town Attorney