(Cary Downtown Park. Source: Cary Chamber of Commerce.)

For Mark Lawson, President of the Cary Chamber of Commerce, the case for Cary, North Carolina, as a potential home for insurance companies and technology vendors comes down to fundamentals.

“It’s pretty simple,” Lawson says. “We’ve got a very strong organic pipeline of talent between our three tier-one research universities, and one of the top community colleges in the country right here. And Cary is a very desirable place to live.”

It’s a concise summary of a broader pitch. As insurance companies and software vendors wrestle with talent shortages and explore new hubs for development and operations, Cary’s business community argues the town offers an alternative to major metropolitan areas. Nestled in North Carolina’s Research Triangle, Cary combines an educated workforce, supportive business climate, and quality of life that have drawn significant names like SAS and MetLife.

A Region Rich in Talent

The draw for many companies, Lawson argues, starts with talent. Cary sits at the center of a region anchored by Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, and NC State University, producing graduates in fields ranging from engineering and analytics to business and life sciences. Meanwhile, Wake Technical Community College serves as one of the top community colleges in the nation, training students in IT, technical, and vocational disciplines.

“When you think of someone that only needs specialized training or a two-year associate’s degree, Wake Tech is probably, if not the top, one of the top two or three technical colleges in the entire country,” Lawson says.

He notes that Wake Tech alone enrolls more than 70,000 students, creating a steady supply of candidates for technical roles and hybrid positions blending technology and insurance operations like underwriting, claims, and product development. Lawson contends that this talent base positions Cary well to help insurers address a looming IT skills gap.

“You’ve got people literally at Cary’s front door that can fill those roles, whether it’s professional services or a more technical role in the insurance industry,” he says. “I don’t think you could be, honestly, in a better place in the country than Cary for that.”

Quality of Life—and Corporate Neighbors

Beyond talent, Lawson points to quality of life as an advantage in recruiting. He highlights Cary’s investments in parks, greenways, arts, and cultural spaces as factors that attract workers from across the country. “It’s much easier than some of our competitors when we’re thinking about attracting and recruiting talent,” he says. “When you think of net migration for Cary, we’re doing really well from people coming all over the country. If they’re able to work remotely, Cary’s a great fit because of the quality of life.”

Lawson cites SAS, headquartered in Cary, as an example of how companies invest in creating inspiring workplaces. “SAS is top shelf,” he says. “There’s probably not many like it around the country. It’s really placemaking in a corporate environment—and they nailed it years and years ago and have continued to refine it.”

Beyond SAS, MetLife maintains a major global technology campus in Cary, employing around 2,600 people in a 500,000-square-foot facility overlooking Lake Crabtree. “It is the engine that really powers all things MetLife around the country,” Lawson says.

Other companies contributing to Cary’s business profile include Xerox, Deutsche Bank, Verizon, Siemens Medical, and environmental technology firm Envu. The North Carolina Independent Insurance Agents association is also based in Cary, serving as a professional hub for insurance agencies and brokers statewide.

Cost Advantages and Future Goals

While talent and quality of life top Lawson’s list, he underscores cost advantages as part of Cary’s pitch. He argues that Cary’s living expenses are well below the national average and real estate costs remain significantly lower than in markets like New York, Boston, or Silicon Valley.

“Our cost of living is certainly below the national average,” he says. “It’s still a very affordable place to live, work, and play and raise a family.”

Even for companies considering data centers or hybrid-cloud development, Lawson contends Cary is positioned to compete. “We’re what we call move-in ready for data centers,” he says, citing existing Class A office space that can be converted and robust power infrastructure left by previous tenants.

Although Lawson believes Cary has already secured a strong place among mid-sized U.S. metros, he says the town’s ambitions remain high. He emphasizes ongoing efforts to attract more technology, life sciences, and biopharma businesses, and to keep graduates from the area’s universities in Cary after completing their degrees.

“Our ambition would be to continue to keep a very high percentage of people that are going to school and graduating here, keep them in Cary,” he says. “That’ll help us continue to grow and strengthen our workforce.”

Lawson sees potential for insurance companies and technology vendors looking to expand. “As a community, we punch well above our weight,” he says. “The talent’s already here and being attracted. And whether it’s cost of living, quality of life, or business climate, I think Cary is the perfect fit for an insurance company that’s looking to take things to the next level.”

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