ReportsRaleigh-Durham › Preston, Cary
Raleigh-Durham · Location Report

Preston, Cary

Residential / low-commercial
13 businesses within walking distance · 4.71★ average rating
Street view of Preston, CaryMap of Preston, Cary, Raleigh-Durham
Six dimensions, each benchmarked against Raleigh-Durham.
Walkability
38
Dining & Shopping
97
Everyday Errands
85
Transit
6
Drive Times
86
Air Quality
69

Living & working in Preston, Cary

Preston is a master-planned, golf-course community located in Cary, North Carolina, situated between Cary Parkway and Davis Drive, and extending toward High House Road. Developed primarily from 1989 through the 1990s, the subdivision is dominated by upscale single-family detached homes built on lots ranging from 0.3 to over 0.5 acres, alongside townhomes, villas, and condominiums. The neighborhood is built around the private Prestonwood Country Club, which includes three 18-hole championship golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts, and multiple swimming pools. Daily outdoor recreation is centered on localized green spaces, including the Preston Village Greenway, Cary Tennis Park, and the neighboring Fred G. Bond Metro Park to the south, which features a lake, boat rentals, and hiking trails. Grocery and retail needs are met at nearby commercial nodes such as High House Crossing, Stone Creek Village, and Parkside Town Commons.

While Preston is primarily residential, its local economy is heavily integrated with the surrounding Research Triangle region, placing residents near major corporate campuses for companies like the SAS Institute, MetLife, and IBM. Remote workers utilize regional coworking facilities, including Towerview Office Suites at Preston Corners, Spaces Cary on Towerview Court, and The Coven on Shannon Oaks Circle. Regional vehicular connectivity is anchored by Davis Drive and High House Road, providing pathways to North Carolina Highway 54, North Carolina Highway 55, and Interstate 40. Transit needs are supported by the local GoCary Route 4 bus, which runs along High House Road and connects the area directly to the Cary Depot transit hub. These transportation links position Preston within a 12-minute drive of both the Raleigh-Durham International Airport and the Research Triangle Park.

Further reading: wikipedia.org

The numbers

Preston, Cary is a residential / low-commercial pocket of Raleigh-Durham, with 13 businesses mapped within walking distance. Its walkability rates 38/100 — on the lower end for walkability in Raleigh-Durham. Local businesses average 4.71★ on Google, and medium foot traffic peaking weekday daytime.

For getting around, transit access scores 6/100 (Poor) — on the lower end for transit access in Raleigh-Durham. Reaching Downtown Raleigh (~20.4 km) takes about 118.1 min by transit versus 31.4 min driving. Typical drive times to key destinations average 14.7 min.

Environmentally, current air quality is good (AQI 61), on the lower end for air quality in Raleigh-Durham.

Neighbourhood composition · 13 businesses mapped

Food Beverage1
Retail1
Services5
Healthcare3
Fitness Wellness1
Education Childcare2
Balance 85/100 · Residential / low-commercial

Local market activity

Average rating4.71★ · 42% rated
Business diversity0.91
Foot trafficMedium · weekday daytime
Street activityModerate · 5/10

Getting around

Transit access · 6/100 (Poor)

0 stops within an 800 m walk
Proximity0 (0%)
Density0 (0%)
Diversity0 (0%)
City-centre access5 (17%)
To Downtown Raleigh (~20.4 km): 118.1 min transit vs 31.4 min drive

Drive time by direction (~8 km)

Colour = congestion level
N15 min Moderate
NE15 min Moderate
E17 min Moderate
SE14 min Moderate
S14 min Moderate
SW14 min Moderate
W13 min Light
NW16 min Moderate

Climate & environment

Air quality & weather

AQI 61 (Good air quality) · 28.6°C, Sunny
Excellent (142h)   Good (418h)   Moderate (136h)
Past ~30 days of air-quality readings (area-wide).

Rooftop solar — example

~216 m² usable roof · up to 110 panels · ~45,988 kWh/yr
powers ~4 homes/yr · ~29,837 kg CO₂ offset/yr
The building at the centre of Preston, Cary, shown as an illustration. The full report calculates rooftop solar for your exact address.
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Built from Google Maps Platform — Geocoding, Places, Routes, Air Quality, Solar, Weather & Pollen APIs. Live snapshot collected 2026-06-15. Area figures are sampled at the Preston, Cary centroid; the paid report is geocoded to your exact address.

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