The Town FilesCary, Illinois
Village in McHenry County · population 17,826 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $309,800
- Household income
- $113,026
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 39.2
Cary is a village of 17,826 people in McHenry County, Illinois. The median home is worth $309,800, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Illinois towns, better for families than 87% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 87% of Illinois towns.
How Cary ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cary is worth $309,800, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $113,026, which is more affordable than 31% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,428 a month. 84.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cary | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $309,800 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,428 | $960 |
| Median household income | $113,026 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Cary
| People | Cary | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.1% | — |
| Work from home | 18.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Cary
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 37.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cary since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 2.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 176 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 99 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 20, 2013.
Severe weather in McHenry County since 1996
McHenry County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 13, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3283: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in McHenry County
McHenry County had 96,922 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,107 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Cary itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in Cary
6 public schools with 3,746 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cary-Grove Community High School | 9-12 | 1,413 | 17.2 |
| Cary Jr High School | 6-8 | 745 | 12.2 |
| Deer Path Elem School | K-5 | 447 | 13.5 |
| Three Oaks School | K-5 | 439 | 11.0 |
| Briargate Elem School | 1-5 | 425 | 15.2 |
| Oak Knoll Early Childhood Center | PK-K | 277 | 13.2 |
Towns near Cary
- Fox River Grove, IL2.1 mi · 4,702 people · home $298,900
- Lake in the Hills, IL4.1 mi · 28,982 people · home $321,900
- Lake Barrington, IL4.1 mi · 5,100 people · home $475,700
- Crystal Lake, IL4.6 mi · 40,269 people · home $311,400
- Algonquin, IL5.2 mi · 29,700 people · home $351,000
- Island Lake, IL5.2 mi · 8,051 people · home $262,500
- Barrington Hills, IL5.6 mi · 4,114 people · home $913,600
- North Barrington, IL6.2 mi · 3,171 people · home $765,900
Cary questions
Is Cary, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cary scores better for retirees than 34% of Illinois towns and quieter than 31%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Cary?
The median owner-occupied home in Cary is valued at $309,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $113,026, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,428 a month.
What is the weather like in Cary?
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.0 inches of precipitation a year and 34.5 inches of snow.
Does Cary get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cary since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)