Set 15 miles west of Raleigh, the Wake County town of Apex is a growing, diverse community focused on keeping a warm small-town vibe. “It’s kind of that quintessential American town,” says AnnMarie Janni, team leader at Element Realty Group and a local of 25 years. The town, once a well-known stop for steam-engine trains in the late 1800s, coined its name for being the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad; today, folks can visit the bright red train car at the 19th-century depot downtown along with numerous brick storefronts and restaurants. Apex saw a 12.5% increase in population from 2020 to 2023, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Around 20 miles from Apex, Research Triangle Park is the largest research park in the country, with 300 companies at the facility. "There's a ton of job opportunities around there, especially tech," says Thomas Wohl, a Realtor with eXp Realty who lives and works in Apex. "Apple is building its East Coast campus in Cary. Also, we have Google and Facebook opening up offices in Research Triangle Park, which borders Cary. Research Triangle Park is Silicon Valley East."
Residents here enjoy gathering for annual religious and cultural events downtown and exploring the area’s pine-tree-filled parks and rivers along the northern border. Apex has lower-priced housing compared to nearby cities like Cary, but according to Janni, what makes people move to Apex and stay there is its community-first mindset. “They’re working hard to give residents what they want and need and putting it into play,” she says. “There’s a real sense of home here.”
The Apex water tower can be seen from almost everywhere in the Apex city limits.
The historic Apex Union Train Depot has a restored caboose for viewing in Apex.
The Research Triangle Park is a short drive from Apex.
The downtown area of Apex has shopping and restaurants.
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Low housing inventory with development plans in Apex
Janni says the market in Apex is tight, with a low housing inventory. At the start of 2024, the median home sale price was around $592,500; properties here sell fast, only staying on the market for about a month. Set around the city’s borders in sidewalk-lined subdivisions, one- to two-story vinyl New Traditional homes built in the early 2000s average $425,000. Larger, five-bedroom New Traditional houses sit in well-kept cul-de-sac subdivisions throughout the northern parts of Apex; these properties range between $600,000 and $800,000. Victorian-inspired multimillion-dollar properties are mostly found in eastern and northeastern pockets of the city.
With the influx of people moving to Apex from the West Coast, Janni says several new subdivisions are being developed. “Our builders are getting bored with traditional home layouts, so we’re seeing a lot of contemporary styles in these communities,” she says. In 2023, RXR development group announced its plans to build over 2,000 single- and multifamily housing units, along with a brand-new campus for Wake Technical Community College, about 3 miles from downtown. Depot 499, a master-planned community south of the city center, will bring over 500 townhome units priced around $400,000 by the mid-2020s.
There are large communities of townhomes in Apex.
New Traditional homes can be found throughout the Apex community.
According to Forbes, Apex, NC is the one of the best places to live in the United States.
Depot 499, a master-planned community south of the city center, will bring over 500 townhomes.
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Strolling along Apex Lake
With a dozen parks to choose from, residents in Apex have plenty of open green space to roam. The 160-acre Apex Community Park, located in the city’s northeastern corner, includes a paved walking trail around Apex Lake, a fishing dock with a boat launch and several athletic fields. Through a city partnership with the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, two multipurpose fields in the park will be converted into street-hockey rinks by fall 2024. Pleasant Park, opened in November 2023 near the city’s southwestern border, is a 92-acre facility that features a playground with a 35-foot-tall slide, six multipurpose courts for pickleball and basketball, and a section dubbed the Enchanted Forest, with nine disability-friendly play structures. For those wanting more remote recreation, the Wake County portion of the American Tobacco Trail runs along the east side of Apex and includes tons of dirt-packed hiking trails. Locals also enjoy trekking 12 miles south to Harris Lake County Park for annual events like the Longleaf Celebration, which pays tribute to the Longleaf Pine, with activities involving the area’s ecosystem.
There is a junior soccer field and a playground at Jaycee Park in Apex.
There are many outdoor activities and greenspaces to explore in Apex.
There are a dozen parks in the city, including the sprawling Apex Community Park.
Have son fun in downtown Apex at Rodgers Family Skate Plaza.
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Local eateries and artwork near Salem Street
Historic downtown Apex is adorned with 19th-century brick buildings, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Folks can stroll past eateries and boutiques on the wide, cement sidewalks or check out art exhibits at the Federal-style Halle Cultural Arts Center off Salem Street. The city places an emphasis on shopping and eating locally with family-owned restaurants. Just 2 miles northwest of downtown, Beaver Creek Crossings offers more retail shopping, restaurant chains and other businesses.
During warmer months, the area booms with community celebrations like the Peak City Pig Fest, one of the city’s most popular events; swarms of people fill up downtown’s streets for Kansas City-style BBQ, drinks at the beer garden and live music. In May, Apex turns its downtown into a street festival with vendors, food and live music for the annual PeakFest. In the winter, there's a three-day Christmas celebration with sleigh rides, historic home tours and a parade. For Apex's Olde Fashioned Fourth of July, families can take part in activities like carnival games and karaoke. The city also hosts diverse cultural events, including the Apex Latino Festival, its Holi Celebration and the Juneteenth Festival.
Apex Chamber of Commerce Executive Director David Bohm says downtown’s economy is thriving — “We want to maintain that historic, small-town feel in our downtown,” he says — but the city has pushed for more community-hub developments in other sections of town. Breaking ground in 2021 on the city’s outskirts by Highway 64, a new mixed-use development called Sweetwater Town Center will eventually feature over 200 apartments, multiple medical facilities and a grocery store.
Best to make a reservation at Scratch Kitchen & Taproom close to Beaver Creek.
The chicken sandwich is the specialty at Scratch Kitchen & Taproom in Apex.
Residents in downtown Apex can stroll past several locally owned eateries and boutiques.
Apex Chamber of Commerce and Town Hall sit in downtown Apex.
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Award-winning institutions in Wake County School District
The city is served by Wake County School District, a top employer in the area. It earns an overall A from Niche, and several of its magnet schools were honored by Magnet Schools of America with National Merit Awards in 2024. Students in Wake County can also enroll in certain career academies for job shadowing and career fairs; Apex Friendship High offers the Academy of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, where participants learn about careers in mathematics and technology throughout all four years.
Apex is located within The Research Triangle, which refers to the shape made when you connect North Carolina State University in Raleigh, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University in Durham. The drive to any of these research universities takes less than 15 miles.
Apex Friendship High School serves students the Apex and surrounding areas.
Research Triangle Park is a 15 minute drive from Apex.
NC State University is part of the backbone of the West Raleigh community.
NCSU, UNC and Duke are all within a 15 minute drive from Apex.
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Low crime rate
According to FBI crime data, Apex had 395 counts of violent incidences in 2023. This is a 19% increase from 2018. There were 676 counts of property crimes in 2023, seeing little change from 2018 when there were 665. Apex's property crime rate is 53% less than the national average, while its violent crime rate is 62% lower than the national average. Every summer, local police partner with Apex Parks and Recreation to host youth enrichment camps where kids aged 11 to 14 interested in law enforcement learn about investigations and police fitness training, along with taking a trip to the Wake County jail.
A walkable city that's 15 minutes from Raleigh
Apex prides itself on being a highly walkable community, with sidewalks available in many residential areas and all over downtown; according to the town of Apex’s 2045 Transportation Plan, the city will prioritize more sidewalk construction near the Town Center, schools and transit-focused areas over the next few decades. Locals can access 13 miles of paved greenway trails within Apex, with some connecting to Cary, a few miles south of the city. Raleigh is a 15-mile drive east via U.S. Route 1, and residents can hop on GoTriangle buses to get around the county. Launched in 2022, GoApex Route 1 is a free bus service for residents that stops near downtown and city parks, and people can opt for complementary ADA paratransit rides through GoApex Door to Door shuttles. WakeMed Apex Healthplex is about a mile from downtown, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 18 miles north via Interstate 540.
Kelly Road Park has trails for running and walking in Beaver Creek..
Go Triangle provides a free shuttle in downtown Apex.
Raleigh is a 15-mile drive east via U.S. Route 1 from Apex.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 18 miles north of Apex.
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Born in Washington, DC and raised in Arlington, Virginia. Met my wife in Alexandria, Virginia and married in 1988. My life changed on October 2, 1997, when our son was born. We moved to Raleigh, North Carolina in 2005 to get away from the big city and Raleigh felt like home. I have been in sales in the wine industry for 23 years. My sales experience has given me a very calm and patient demeanor that helps me negotiate and discuss strategies for buying and/or selling homes.
My goal as a real estate agent is to give my clients exceptional advice and updates before during and after the purchase or sale of their home. I provide knowledge and plenty of resources needed to navigate through one of the largest transactions of your life. Communication is a big part and will continue from me even after you are enjoying your new home.
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