History of Apex
The town of Apex was so named because it was the highest point of the Chatham Railroad when the town was chartered in 1873 (the Chatham Railroad later became the Raleigh and August Air Line Railroad).
Apex was virtually destroyed by a fire in 1911 and completely rebuilt, and it is this rebuilt town from that period that still exists today. The former railroad depot now houses in the Apex Chamber of Commerce.
Apex remained a sleepy railroad town until the Research Triangle Park became its neighbor in the 1960s. Apex, because of its proximity to RTP, grew from a population of 977 in the 1940 census to 2,192 in 1960. In the 1990s a population explosion brought the total to 20,212, and today Apex contains over 37,000 citizens.
Life in Apex
The town’s motto is “Peak of Good Living” and continues to celebrate the advantages of small town living, making Apex a pleasant alternative to the larger communities that surround it. Apex was voted one of the best places to live in 2007 and then again in 2011 by Money Magazine.
Downtown Apex is still a vibrant commercial district with charming shops and restaurants as well as businesses and banking. The town offers a historic train ride on the New Hope Valley Railway once a month from May through December, and the American Tobacco Trail has a trailhead in Apex.
Neighborhoods
Like Cary, most of the homes in Apex were built during the period that began with the population explosion in the 1970s and continued throughout the early 21st century. Apex shares the Wake County school system but is somewhat more affordable than Cary and north Raleigh.
Search the MLS for homes for sale in Apex .
