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Apex
Apex Historic District
Flag of Apex
Flag
Official seal of Apex
Seal
Official logo of Apex
Logo
Nickname(s): 
Peak City
Motto(s): 
"The Peak of Good Living"
Location in Wake County and North Carolina
Location in Wake County and North Carolina
Apex is located in North Carolina
Apex
Apex
Location in North Carolina
Apex is located in the United States
Apex
Apex
Location in the United States
Apex is located in North America
Apex
Apex
Location in North America
Country United States
State North Carolina
County Wake
Incorporated 1873
Named for Highest point on the Chatham Railroad
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
Area
 • Total 25.15 sq mi (65.13 km2)
 • Land 25.06 sq mi (64.90 km2)
 • Water 0.09 sq mi (0.23 km2)  0.36%
Elevation
390 ft (120 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 58,780
 • Estimate 
(2023)
72,225
 • Density 2,345.66/sq mi (905.67/km2)
Demonym(s) Apexian or Apexer
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
27502, 27523, 27539
Area codes 919, 984
FIPS code 37-01520
GNIS feature ID 2405157
Website www.apexnc.org

Apex (/ˈ.pɛks/) is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. At its southern border, Apex encompasses the community of Friendship. In 1994, the downtown area was designated a historic district, and the Apex train depot, built in 1867, is designated a Wake County landmark. The depot location marks the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad, hence the town's name. The town motto is "The Peak of Good Living".

In the late 19th century, a small community developed around the railroad station. The forests were cleared for farmland, much of which was dedicated to tobacco farming. Since Apex was near the state capital, it became a trading center. The railroad shipped products such as lumber, tar, and tobacco. The town was officially incorporated in 1873. By 1900, the town had a population of 349. As of the 2020 census, its population was 58,780, making it the 17th-most populous municipality in North Carolina.

The population boom occurred primarily in the late 1990s. The Research Triangle Park, established in the 1960s, created strong demand for technology workers. This also drove population growth.

History

ApexUnionDepotSmall
Apex Union Depot, built in 1914

In 1869, the Chatham Railroad, connecting Chatham County with Raleigh, was completed. At the highest point of the line, which railroad workers dubbed the "apex of the grade", existed a pond. Trains leaving out of Chatham would stop at the pond to replenish their water. A community began to grow around the stop, which the railroad workers called Apex. The town of Apex was incorporated in 1873. The pond was eventually drained by culverts and ceased to exist by 1900.

Apex grew slowly through the succeeding decades, despite several devastating fires, including a June 12, 1911, conflagration that destroyed most of the downtown business district. The town center was rebuilt and stands to this day, now one of the most intact railroad towns in the state. At the heart of town stands the Apex Union Depot, originally a passenger station for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad and later home to the locally supported Apex Community Library. The depot now houses the Apex Chamber of Commerce.

Apex suffered mild setbacks during the Great Depression era, but growth began again in earnest in the 1950s. The town's proximity to RTP spurred additional residential development, yet the town managed to preserve its small-town character. During the 1990s, the town's population quadrupled to over 20,000, placing new demands upon Apex's infrastructure.

Apex has continued to grow in recent years. A sizable shopping center was built at the intersection of Highway 55 and US 64, and several new neighborhoods have been built as the town grows toward the west.

In October 2006, a chemical explosion and fire in a waste-processing facility prompted the evacuation of over 16,000 residents. There were few serious injuries, and residents were soon able to return home. In 2009, a federal court approved a $7.85M settlement to compensate Apex residents affected by the disaster. Each household received $750. Businesses received $2,200.

In 2015, Apex was named the number-one place to live in America, according to Money magazine.

In addition to the Apex Union Depot, the Apex City Hall, Apex Historic District, Calvin Wray Lawrence House, and Utley-Council House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

The town is a suburb of both Raleigh and Research Triangle Park (RTP). It is situated to the southwest of Raleigh with direct highway access via US 1. Apex is south of RTP with direct highway access via NC 540. Apex crests the watersheds of both the Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.15 square miles (65.1 km2), of which 25.06 square miles (64.9 km2) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) (0.36%) is water. Neighboring towns include Cary to the north and northeast, Holly Springs to the south, and Raleigh to the east and northeast.

Climate

Climate data for Apex, North Carolina, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1993–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 80
(27)
82
(28)
89
(32)
92
(33)
96
(36)
103
(39)
103
(39)
104
(40)
100
(38)
98
(37)
87
(31)
80
(27)
104
(40)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 69.5
(20.8)
73.4
(23.0)
81.6
(27.6)
86.5
(30.3)
90.1
(32.3)
94.9
(34.9)
96.5
(35.8)
95.3
(35.2)
92.3
(33.5)
86.8
(30.4)
77.2
(25.1)
73.3
(22.9)
98.2
(36.8)
Average high °F (°C) 50.9
(10.5)
54.4
(12.4)
61.9
(16.6)
71.6
(22.0)
78.7
(25.9)
85.7
(29.8)
89.0
(31.7)
87.4
(30.8)
81.5
(27.5)
71.8
(22.1)
62.2
(16.8)
53.9
(12.2)
70.7
(21.5)
Daily mean °F (°C) 40.9
(4.9)
43.5
(6.4)
50.5
(10.3)
59.6
(15.3)
67.7
(19.8)
75.4
(24.1)
79.2
(26.2)
77.5
(25.3)
71.6
(22.0)
60.7
(15.9)
50.9
(10.5)
44.0
(6.7)
60.1
(15.6)
Average low °F (°C) 30.9
(−0.6)
32.6
(0.3)
39.1
(3.9)
47.6
(8.7)
56.7
(13.7)
65.2
(18.4)
69.4
(20.8)
67.7
(19.8)
61.7
(16.5)
49.5
(9.7)
39.5
(4.2)
34.1
(1.2)
49.5
(9.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 15.6
(−9.1)
18.5
(−7.5)
24.8
(−4.0)
33.9
(1.1)
44.1
(6.7)
57.1
(13.9)
61.9
(16.6)
61.3
(16.3)
52.3
(11.3)
36.9
(2.7)
26.3
(−3.2)
23.1
(−4.9)
14.3
(−9.8)
Record low °F (°C) 2
(−17)
3
(−16)
15
(−9)
26
(−3)
38
(3)
46
(8)
57
(14)
54
(12)
43
(6)
31
(−1)
20
(−7)
9
(−13)
2
(−17)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.65
(93)
3.00
(76)
4.08
(104)
3.63
(92)
3.83
(97)
4.33
(110)
5.07
(129)
4.64
(118)
5.27
(134)
3.71
(94)
3.45
(88)
3.67
(93)
48.33
(1,228)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 2.9
(7.4)
1.0
(2.5)
0.4
(1.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.3
(0.76)
0.2
(0.51)
4.8
(12)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.2 9.5 10.5 9.8 10.2 10.9 11.7 10.3 8.7 7.9 8.4 10.6 118.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 1.4 0.7 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.6 3.2
Source 1: NOAA
Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020)

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 228
1890 269 18.0%
1900 349 29.7%
1910 681 95.1%
1920 926 36.0%
1930 863 −6.8%
1940 977 13.2%
1950 1,065 9.0%
1960 1,368 28.5%
1970 2,192 60.2%
1980 2,847 29.9%
1990 4,968 74.5%
2000 20,212 306.8%
2010 37,476 85.4%
2020 58,780 56.8%
2023 (est.) 72,225 92.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Apex racial composition
Race Number Percentage
White (non-Hispanic) 39,498 67.2%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 3,852 6.55%
Native American 99 0.17%
Asian 7,295 12.41%
Pacific Islander 16 0.03%
Other/mixed 3,117 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4,903 8.34%

As of the 2020 census, 58,780 people, 18,197 households, and 14,027 families reside in the town.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 37,476 people, 13,225 households, and 9,959 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,437.9 people per square mile. The 13,922 housing units had an average density of 905.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 69% White, 7% African American, 12% Asian, 3% from other races, and 9% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8% of the population.

Of the 18,197 total households, 14,027 (77%) were family households, of which 46% had children under 18 living with them, 63% of the family households were married couples living together, and 11% had a female householder with no husband, 4,170 households were not families, comprising 23% of total households. The average household size was 3.12, and the average family size was 2.81.

Economy

Top employers

According to the 2020 Comprehensive Financial Report for Apex, these were the town's top employers:

# Employer # of employees
1 Wake County Public Schools 1,779
2 Town of Apex 506
3 Dell 500
4 Apex Tool Group 425
5 Bland Landscaping 325
6 Costco 290
7 ATI Industrial Automation 275
8 Super Target 250
9 Walmart 243
10 Lowe's Home Improvement 220

Schools

Apex's public schools are operated by the Wake County Public School System.

Over 4,000 students are enrolled in two public high schools in Apex, Apex Friendship High School and Apex High School.

Public middle schools include:

  • Apex Friendship Middle School
  • Apex Middle School
  • Lufkin Road Middle School
  • Salem Middle School

Public elementary schools include:

  • Apex Elementary School
  • Apex Friendship Elementary School
  • Baucom Elementary School
  • Laurel Park Elementary School
  • Olive Chapel Elementary School
  • Salem Elementary School
  • Scotts Ridge Elementary School

Private schools:

  • Peace Montessori School
  • St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School
  • Thales Academy of Apex

Charter schools:

  • Peak Charter Academy
  • The Math and Science Academy of Apex

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads

  • US 1, US 64, and NC 55 are the major roads through Apex.
  • The Triangle Expressway southwestern section ( NC 540) is a toll road connecting to I-540. This is a partially completed loop road around the greater Raleigh area.
  • The Apex Peakway' is a loop road orbiting downtown Apex. The peakway was conceived as a means to relieve traffic in the downtown area and provide a bypass for commuters traveling from one side of the town to the other. It is currently the only "peakway" in North Carolina, taking its name from Apex's town motto: "The Peak of Good Living." When finished, the Apex Peakway will be 6 miles (9.7 km) long; so far 5 miles (8.0 km) have been constructed.

Transit

  • Air:  – Raleigh–Durham International Airport is on I-40 approximately 12 miles north of downtown Apex.  – Raleigh Executive Jetport is to the south on US 1, 22 miles from downtown.
  • Rail:Apex is not served directly by passenger trains. Amtrak serves the nearby municipalities of Cary and Raleigh. CSX manages a freight train switch yard in the center of Apex.
  • Bus: The Triangle Transit Authority branded as GoTriangle operates buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Greyhound has terminals in Raleigh and Durham. In 2022, GoTriangle launched its first Apex branded bus service, GoApex. GoCary also operates an express route that connects the two communities.

Bicycle

  • USBR 1 (2009).svg U.S. Bicycle Route 1 routes through downtown Apex.
  • US Bike 5 (M1-8).svg North Carolina Bicycle Route 5 connects Apex to Wilmington and closely parallels the NCBC Randonneurs 600 kilometer brevet route.
  • There are numerous greenway trails including the Beaver Creek Trail and the American Tobacco Trail popular with cyclists.

Utilities

Apex Utilities provides water/sewer, electricity, garbage, recycling, and yard waste pickup. Natural Gas is provided by PSNC.

Fire

Fire protection is provided by the Apex Fire Department operating from five stations with a sixth under construction.

Police

Police service is provided by the Apex Police Department.

Parks and recreation

The Apex Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources department manages many parks, greenways, and sport programs, including a skate park near downtown.

Major parks include:

There are both youth and adult sport programs for:

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

Arts and culture

  • Apex PeakFest is the community's annual festival held on the first Saturday in May. The downtown area is closed off and over 200 vendors provide food, arts & crafts, rides, and other entertainment.
  • The Halle Cultural Arts Center provides a theater, classroom, and gallery spaces. It was built as the Town Hall in 1912.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Apex (Carolina del Norte) para niños

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