Cary, NC · Wake County
Buying a home in Cary? Check these before you offer.
Cary sits in western Wake County between Raleigh and Research Triangle Park. Most of its homes are in subdivisions with a homeowners association, school assignment follows WCPSS attendance lines rather than neighborhood names, and many homes were built from the 1980s onward, so the age of the roof and HVAC is worth checking.
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Flood: the zone isn't the whole story
Most Cary homes are in FEMA Zone X (low risk), where lenders usually don't require flood insurance. Flooding still happens there. Paid flood-insurance claims in each Cary ZIP code, from FEMA's own data:
| ZIP | Paid NFIP claims since 2000 |
|---|---|
| 27511 | 56 |
| 27513 | 24 |
| 27518 | 85 |
| 27519 | 5 |
Source: FEMA NFIP claims (OpenFEMA), refreshed daily. A ZIP-level count, not a measure of any single home.
Schools: check the exact address
Cary homes are served by Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). Assignment follows attendance boundaries, which don't always match neighborhood names and can be redrawn, so look up the exact address and then each assigned school's NC DPI accountability grade (the state's own A–F rating, separate from review sites).
Property tax: based on the assessment, not the price
Wake County 0.5371 + Cary 0.3675 per $100 of assessed value (2026), plus Wake's $20 waste-reduction fee. On a $500,000 assessment that comes to about $4,543 a year. Look up the home's actual assessed value; your first bill after buying may differ.
Financing: know the limits before you plan a down payment
- FHA (3.5% down) has a loan limit: from $541,287 for a single-family home in 2026, which works out to a price of up to about $560,000. Above that, plan on a conventional loan.
- Conventional loans above $832,750 are jumbo loans, with different rates and down payment rules.
- NC Home Advantage down-payment help applies to homes priced up to $495,000.
Confirm current limits with your lender.
Radon: test regardless
Wake County, on EPA's radon map: Zone 2 — moderate radon potential. This county's predicted average indoor screening level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L. All homes should still be tested, regardless of zone. A test is the only way to know a specific home's level.
Also worth checking
- Permits for roof and HVAC work on any home over about 20 years old.
- Whether there's an HOA, and its dues, rules and any special assessments.
- The true monthly cost: mortgage, mortgage insurance, tax, insurance and HOA.
Questions buyers ask
Do I need flood insurance for a house in Cary?
Lenders require it for homes in FEMA's high-risk zones (A and AE). Most Cary homes are in Zone X, where it usually isn't required, but flooding still happens there: check the claims for the home's ZIP code and get an insurance quote that includes flood before you offer.
How do I find which schools a Cary address is assigned to?
By exact address, using the WCPSS address lookup. Assignment follows attendance boundaries, not neighborhood names, and boundaries can change. UnveilHome reports include the official assignment and each school's NC DPI accountability grade.
How is property tax calculated in Cary?
On the county's assessed value, not the sale price. Wake County 0.5371 + Cary 0.3675 per $100 of assessed value (2026), plus Wake's $20 waste-reduction fee. On a $500,000 assessment that is about $4,543 a year.
Can I use an FHA loan with 3.5% down in Cary?
Only below FHA's loan limit. The 2026 limit for a single-family home starts at $541,287 (some counties are a little higher), which with 3.5% down means a price of up to about $560,000. Confirm the exact limit with a lender.
Check a Cary address before you offer
Nearby: Buying in Apex · Buying in Raleigh · Buying in Durham