Best Web Design in Apex, NC (2026)

Web Design for Apex, North Carolina

Apex is a fast-growing Wake County town in North Carolina's Research Triangle, named for the highest point on a 19th-century railroad line. Its walkable historic downtown of late-1800s buildings, family-owned restaurants, and breweries earned it Money magazine's title of the No. 1 Best Place to Live in America in 2015. What was once a quiet railroad village of a few hundred is now one of the state's most populous municipalities.

AppWT works with Apex, NC businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Apex

Also known as. The Peak of Good Living. The Peak.

History. The depot marked the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad line between Richmond, Virginia, and Jacksonville, Florida, giving the town its name (Apex means peak or highest point). A small community grew around the railroad station in the late 1800s and was officially incorporated in 1873. By 1900 the town had a population of just 349. By the 2020 census the population had reached 58,780, making Apex the 17th-most populous municipality in North Carolina.

Local economy. The regional job engine is Research Triangle Park, about 18 miles away, where 200-plus companies including IBM, Cisco, and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline employ tens of thousands. Cooper Tools, a longtime manufacturer of tools, hardware, and electrical products, is cited by the Apex Chamber of Commerce as a major local employer. Apex functions largely as a prosperous residential community drawing Triangle-area professionals, prized for schools and quality of life.

Culture and community. Downtown Apex is a National Register Historic District along Salem and Hughes Streets, with more than 60 commercial and residential structures dating from 1870 to 1940. PeakFest, held the first Saturday in May for more than 40 years, is a free street fair with rides, performers, food, crafts, and music that draws a large share of the town. Autumn events include the Apex Latino Arts Festival and Witches Night Out; downtown also hosts a Tour of Frights Halloween event and the Rotary Christmas Parade. A downtown Social District lets visitors stroll with a drink among breweries and eateries like Oaklyn Springs Brewery, Scratch Kitchen & Taproom, and family-owned Italian kitchens.

What makes Apex distinct. Money magazine named Apex the No. 1 Best Place to Live in America in 2015, citing its downtown, schools, and community spirit. On October 5, 2006, a fire at the EQ hazardous-waste facility sent plumes of gas over town and forced the evacuation of roughly 17,000 residents; responders spent 14-15 hours before fully identifying the chemicals involved. A plant nursery now occupies the former EQ site, and the incident spurred new state rules on siting hazardous-waste facilities near homes. The town slogan 'The Peak of Good Living' was chosen through a public contest in 1975, playing on both quality of life and the railroad namesake.

A fast-growing suburb southwest of Raleigh in Wake County, known by the motto 'The Peak of Good Living'

Apex Landmarks and Local Life

• Apex Union Depot - 1914 Seaboard Air Line Railroad passenger station
• Apex Historic District - Downtown district listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Halle Cultural Arts Center - Built in 1912 as the town hall and now an arts venue
• Pleasant Park - 92-acre park with sports fields and a playground, opened November 2023
• Apex Community Park - Established municipal park with athletic and recreation facilities

Apex at a Glance

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023.

• Median household income: About $138,442
• Adults with a bachelor degree or higher: About 66.6%
• Housing: About 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied
• Housing: About 67.6% of housing units are detached single-family homes