Town · North Carolina
Apex, North Carolina
Apex, town, in Wake County, North Carolina. Apex had 80,419 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 24.9% from the Bureau's April 2020 estimates base of 64,366; the 2020 Census counted 58,780 on the place as it was defined then and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 70,630 (±70). GEOID 3701520.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
80,419
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 58,780 · ACS 2020-2024: 70,630 ±70
Median household income
$144,135
±$9,485 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$576,100
±$15,002 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,902
±$59 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Apex and what county is it in?
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina. It covers 26.9 square miles of land, 2,184 residents per square mile in 2020.
Apex is in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Apex, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 80,419 people lived in Apex on July 1, 2025, up 24.9% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The Census Bureau's yearly estimates start from its own April 2020 base for Apex, 64,366, which differs from the 2020 Census count of 58,780: the estimates follow the place as the estimates program defines it today (its present boundaries, and for a consolidated city-county the area the program assigns it), so the change since 2020 is measured from that base. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 70,630 (±70).
| Measure | Apex | Wake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 70,630 ±70 | 1,178,653 | +19,260 |
| Households | 25,235 ±700 | 460,175 | +7,038 |
| Average household size | 2.79 ±0.08 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 26,500 ±732 | 496,047 | +7,395 |
Apex's population since 2000
From 20,212 in 2000 to 80,419 in 2025: up 297.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Apex as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Apex?
The median resident of Apex is 36.4 years old; 29.1% are under 18 and 9.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.7%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 19.5%. 20.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Apex | Wake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 ±1.2 | 37.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 29.1% ±1.3 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 9.5% ±1.0 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±1.1 pts | 49.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.2% ±1.0 pts | 11.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.7% ±3.2 pts | 56.2% | −12.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.3% ±2.0 pts | 18.5% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 19.5% ±2.0 pts | 8.5% | +10.7 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±1.2 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 20.3% ±2.0 pts | 15.3% | +8.4 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 24.0% ±2.3 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.7% ±0.9 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 6.1% ±0.8 pts | 9.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5% ±0.8 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.3% ±0.5 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 69.5% ±1.9 pts | 57.2% | +5.2 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 30.5% ±1.9 pts | 23.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.4% ±2.1 pts | 85.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.4% ±1.2 pts | 3.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Apex earn?
Half of Apex's 25,235 households earn less than $144,135 a year (±$9,485), against $105,768 in Wake County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $137,142 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 2.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Apex | Wake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $144,135 ±$9,485 | $105,768 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $167,749 ±$6,704 | $139,586 | – |
| Per capita income | $60,473 ±$2,323 | $55,448 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 2.2% ±0.6 pts | 8.1% | −3.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.1% ±1.1 pts | 9.6% | −4.0 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.9% ±0.7 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.7% ±0.6 pts | 98.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.0% ±1.2 pts | 95.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Apex?
Owners occupy 76.5% of Apex's occupied homes and renters 23.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $576,100 by its owner (±$15,002). The median renter pays $1,902 a month including utilities, and 33.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Apex | Wake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $576,100 ±$15,002 | $461,300 | +$172,679 |
| Median gross rent | $1,902 ±$59 | $1,623 | +$204 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.3% ±5.6 pts | 38.1% | +8.2 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,396 ±$73 | $2,113 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 76.5% ±2.0 pts | 64.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 23.5% ±2.0 pts | 35.9% | – |
| Housing units | 26,500 ±732 | 496,047 | +7,395 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.9% ±5.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 67.5% ±2.3 pts | 58.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 9.7% ±1.5 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 35.8% ±2.5 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.7% ±0.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.7% ±0.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Apex building?
Builders took permits for 1,223 new housing units in Apex in 2025 (721 in single-family houses), 15.2 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Apex work and get to work?
55.1% of Apex's workers drive alone and 36.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.8%.
| Measure | Apex | Wake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 73.0% ±1.6 pts | 69.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% ±1.5 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 55.1% ±2.8 pts | 61.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.4% ±1.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±1.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 36.0% ±2.7 pts | 29.1% | +25.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.2 min ±1.2 | 25.1 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Apex?
10 census tracts lie mostly in Apex, and 8 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $79,115 (Tract 534.17) to $173,215 (Tract 534.28).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 534.28Wake County | 16,415 | $173,215 |
| Tract 534.33Wake County | 5,772 | $153,060 |
| Tract 534.34Wake County | 4,538 | $165,146 |
| Tract 534.15Wake County | 5,037 | $165,972 |
| Tract 534.35Wake County | 4,104 | $114,116 |
| Tract 534.30Wake County | 3,979 | $134,350 |
| Tract 534.26Wake County | 8,568 | $174,149 |
| Tract 534.31Wake County | 4,744 | $97,950 |
| Tract 534.27Wake County | 7,011 | $146,932 |
| Tract 534.17Wake County | 4,654 | $79,115 |
| Tract 534.36Wake County | 2,900 | $107,140 |
| Tract 534.29Wake County | 2,941 | $118,646 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Apex) · Census block assignment files
How does Apex compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Apex is the 463rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 14th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Apex ranks 14th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 14th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 16th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 24th | 443 |
| Median household income | 14th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 38th | 443 |
| Median home value | 21st | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 16th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 340th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13th | 421 |
| Median age | 343rd | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 147th | 443 |
| Work from home | 10th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 181st | 439 |
Apex's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Apex with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Apex?
5 of the 57 figures for Apex on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Apex are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Apex.