Cary has long carried the tongue-in-cheek nickname “Containment Area for Relocated Yankees,” a nod to the town’s popularity among Northeastern transplants. But new data suggests the top metro currently showing interest currently in Cary isn’t New York or Boston – it’s Washington, D.C.
According to Redfin, a national real estate brokerage and data platform, the most home search interest in Cary between February and April 2025 came from users based in the D.C. metro area. New York came in third, behind NC’s own Fayetteville.
Here are the top 10 metro areas where Redfin users are most actively searching for homes in Cary:
| Rank | Metro Area | Net Inflow (Interest-Based) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | 1,140 |
| 2 | Fayetteville, NC | 845 |
| 3 | New York, NY | 791 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | 485 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | 446 |
| 6 | Kansas City, MO | 408 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | 386 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | 366 |
| 9 | Seattle, WA | 290 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | 216 |
It’s important to note that this data doesn’t track confirmed moves. Instead, it reflects home search behavior collected by Redfin.
Still, this level of search activity is often a strong indicator of migration trends to come.
While the nickname “Containment Area for Relocated Yankees” may still hold some truth, the data shows that Cary’s reach is broader than just the Northeast. These days, it’s professionals from D.C., military-connected families from Fayetteville, and even former Californians who are most likely to be eyeing a move to town.
Where do people leave Cary for?
While there are many more folks coming rather than going, Redfin’s data on where people want to leave Cary for tells an interesting story.
Between February and April 2025, the most common destination among outbound Redfin users was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, followed by Wilmington and New Bern, within North Carolina.
Top 10 Destinations for Outbound Search Interest from Cary (Feb–Apr 2025):
| Rank | Destination Metro | Net Outflow |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Myrtle Beach, SC | 322 |
| 2 | Wilmington, NC | 171 |
| 3 | New Bern, NC | 157 |
| 4 | Rocky Mount, NC | 138 |
| 5 | Asheville, NC | 119 |
| 6 | Boone, NC | 76 |
| 7 | Knoxville, TN | 40 |
| 8 | Charleston, SC | 36 |
| 9 | Hickory, NC | 29 |
| 10 | Forest City, NC | 25 |
It’s notable that all of the top outbound destinations for Cary residents are located either within North Carolina or in neighboring states. This stands in sharp contrast to the inbound migration pattern, where nine out of the top ten metros showing interest in moving to Cary are located outside of North Carolina and its surrounding region. The data suggests that while Cary continues to attract attention from across the country, those who leave are largely choosing to stay closer to home.
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