Cary Ranks Fourth Best Town/City in America for Remote Workers, New Study Finds

A new study by CoWorkingCafe ranks Cary as fourth in the entire country for remote workers, placing it among the top destinations for people who work from home or from flexible office spaces. The study looked at 215 cities and compared them across 12 metrics, including coworking availability, internet infrastructure, income, cost of living and remote work share.

The study found that nearly 31 percent of Cary residents work remotely, the third-highest rate in the nation. That figure alone sets Cary apart, as this could imply many people choose to live in Cary because they want to be in Cary, not because their work requires them to be.

The report also points to the conditions that make that possible: strong broadband coverage, a high median income, steady employment and housing costs that are lower than other comparable cities.

Coworking has become a notable part of that mix. Cary now has 15 coworking spaces, or about 8.5 per 100,000 residents, giving people who work from home access to meeting rooms, professional amenities and a change of scenery without commuting into Raleigh. That level of availability placed Cary near the top of the national list and reflects continued demand from residents who prefer flexible office arrangements.

Economic stability played a major role in Cary’s ranking as well. The study lists the town’s median income at $75,215, one of the highest among the cities analyzed, and its unemployment rate at 2.4 percent, significantly lower than most cities in the report. Those factors, combined with the area’s comparatively modest cost of living, helped push Cary toward the top of the list.

Connectivity remains another important advantage. About 60 percent of Cary households have access to fiber internet, placing the town 25th nationally for broadband coverage. The report also highlights Cary’s regional accessibility, noting that three airports fall within seventy miles. That level of connectivity gives remote workers the flexibility to travel for business without living in a major metropolitan center.

Nationally, the study found a mix of large cities and mid-sized communities rising to the top of the rankings. Atlanta claimed the number one spot, driven by the country’s highest concentration of coworking spaces, followed by Miami, Boulder and Columbia, Maryland. Cary’s placement among these cities positions it alongside some of the country’s fastest-growing hubs for remote work, even as it maintains the quieter suburban character that attracts many residents in the first place.