Apex, North Carolina
Apex, North Carolina | ||
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Town | ||
The historic downtown district of Apex
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Nickname(s): Peak City | ||
Motto: "The Peak of Good Living" | ||
Location in Wake County and the state of North Carolina. |
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Country | United States | |
State | North Carolina | |
County | Wake | |
Incorporated | 1873 | |
Government | ||
• Type | Council-Manager | |
• Mayor | Lance Olive | |
• Mayor Pro Tem | Nicole Dozier | |
• Town Manager | Bruce Radford | |
• Town Attorney | Laurie Hohe | |
Area | ||
• Town | 15.4 sq mi (39.8 km2) | |
• Land | 15.2 sq mi (39.4 km2) | |
• Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.39 km2) | |
Elevation | 499 ft (152 m) | |
Population (2014) | ||
• Town | 43,907 | |
• Density | 2,465.5/sq mi (951.9/km2) | |
• Metro | 1,998,808 | |
Demonym(s) | Apexian or Apexer | |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
ZIP codes | 27502, 27523, 27539 | |
Area code(s) | 919, 984 | |
FIPS code | 37-01520[1] | |
GNIS feature ID | 1018834[2] | |
Website | www.apexnc.org |
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town's population to be 43,907 as of July 1, 2014.[3] The town is highly acclaimed with a "charming downtown, top-notch schools, and the kind of community spirit that draws 15,000 people, or more than a third of the population, to the annual PeakFest street fair."[4] In August 2015, Apex was rated #1 in Money Magazine's Best Places to Live, 2015.
Contents
Geography
Apex is located at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (35.731952, -78.852878).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.4 square miles (40 km2), of which, 15.2 square miles (39 km2) of it is land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2) of it (0.57%) is water.
Neighboring towns include Cary to the north and northeast and Holly Springs to the south.
History
The town of Apex was incorporated in 1873, named for its location as the highest point on a portion of the Chatham Railroad which ultimately extends between Richmond, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida.[6] Apex grew slowly through the succeeding decades, despite several devastating fires, including a June 12, 1911 conflagration which destroyed most of the downtown business district.[7] 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 Depression-era, but growth began again in earnest in the 1950s. The town's proximity to North Carolina's Research Triangle Park 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.[8]
In October 2006, a chemical fire in an Apex waste processing facility generated worldwide headlines when much of the town was temporarily evacuated.[9] There were few serious injuries, and residents were soon able to return home.[10]
In August 2015, TIME magazine ranked Apex #1 on its list of the nation's top places to live.[11]
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.[12]
Government
Apex's Council-Manager form of government has a mayor and five council members (one of whom serves as Mayor pro tem) who are each elected at-large in staggered four-year terms. The town's attorney and manager serve at the pleasure of the council. All other staff report to the town manager and manage the town's day-to-day business.
The town's mayor is Lance Olive. Nicole Dozier is Apex's Mayor Pro Tem. The other council members are: Bill Jensen, Gene Schulze, Denise Wilkie, and Wesley Moyer.[13]
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Demographics
Historical population | |||
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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% | |
Est. 2014 | 43,907 | [14] | 17.2% |
U.S. Decennial Census 2013 estimate |
As of the census of 2010, 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. There were 13,922 housing units at an average density of 905.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 80% White, 8% African American, 7% Asian, 3% from other races, and 3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7% of the population.[15]
There were 13,225 total households in Apex in 2010. Of these, 9,959 (75%) were family households out of which 65% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 84% of the family households were married couples living together and 13% had a female householder with no husband present. There were 3,266 Nonfamily households in Apex comprising 25% of total households. 2,650 households were made up of individuals (20% of total households) and 4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.31.
The town population was spread out with 33% under the age of 18, 5% from 18 to 24, 34% from 25 to 44, 22% from 45 to 64, and 6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95 males.
The median income (in 2013 dollars) for a household in the town was $89,475, and the median income for a family was $106,283. Males had a median income of $65,179 versus $48,022 for females. (2013 estimate[16]). The per capita income for the town was $34,979. About 2% of families and 3% of the population were below the poverty threshold (2013 estimate[17]).
Schools
- Apex Elementary School
- Apex Friendship High School
- Apex High School
- Apex Middle School
- Baucom Elementary
- Jordan Lake School of the Arts
- Laurel Park Elementary School
- Lufkin Road Middle School
- Middle Creek High School
- Olive Chapel Elementary
- Peace Montessori School
- Salem Elementary School
- Salem Middle School
- St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School
- Thales Academy of Apex
- West Lake Elementary School
- West Lake Middle School
Transportation
Passenger
- Air: Raleigh-Durham International Airport is on I-40 approximately eight miles north of downtown Apex.
- Apex is not served directly by passenger trains. Amtrak serves the nearby municipalities of Cary and Raleigh.
- Local Bus: The Triangle Transit Authority operates buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Raleigh, Durham , and Chapel Hill.
Roads
- 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 this motto was first created it was meant to represent the fact that Apex got its name from being the highest point along the Eastern Seaboard railway and thus the "peak", or "apex" of the railway. When finished, the Apex Peakway will be 5.97 miles (9.61 km) long; so far 4.21 miles (6.78 km) have been constructed.[18]
- The Triangle Expressway southwestern extension of I-540 is a toll road connecting to I-40, US 64, and US 1. This is currently an incomplete loop road around the greater Raleigh area.
- US 64 and U.S. 1 are both freeways in the Apex area. NC 55 travels through the center of town.
Bicycle and pedestrian
- U.S. Bicycle Route 1 routes through downtown Apex. Also, N.C. Bicycle Route #5 connects Apex to Wilmington and closely parallels the NCBC Randonneurs 600 kilometer brevet route.[19]
Top employers
According to the 2014 Comprehensive Financial Report for Apex, these were the town's top employers:[20]
# | Employer | # of Employees |
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1 | Wake County Public Schools | 900 |
2 | Cooper Industries | 419 |
3 | Town of Apex | 348 |
4 | EMC | 322 |
5 | Target | 280 |
6 | Bland Landscaping | 230 |
7 | Walmart | 200 |
8 | Tipper Tie | 137 |
9 | Rex Healthcare | 125 |
10 | North Carolina Department of Correction | 101 |
Notable people
- Sio Moore, an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League attended Apex High School.
References
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