Apex, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb
of Raleigh
. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census.- Wake County, North Carolina: 2010 Census Redistricting Data, wakegov.com
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27.5 km²), of which, 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.57%) is water.
Neighboring towns include Raleigh to the east, Cary
to the north and northeast, and Holly Springs
to the south.
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
. 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. 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' 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 fire in an Apex waste processing facility generated worldwide headlines when much of the town was temporarily evacuated. There were few serious injuries, and residents were soon able to return home.
In July 2009, CNN/Money
magazine ranked Apex #44th http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/snapshots/PL3701520.html on its list of the nation's top places to live.
The town's mayor is Keith Weatherly (4th term); he was first elected to the post in 1995 after serving two years on the council. Bryan Gossage (2nd term) is Apex's Mayor pro tem. Council members are: Bill Jensen (3rd term), Gene Schulze (3rd term), Lance Olive (1st term) and Terry Rowe (1st Term).
Councilman-elect Scott Lassiter will fill the seat of Bryan Gossage who ran for Mayor, but was defeated by incumbent Mayor Keith Weatherly.
of 2000, there were 20,212 people, 7,397 households, and 5,584 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,918.2 people per square mile (740.4/km2). There were 8,028 housing units at an average density of 761.9 per square mile (294.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 85.06% White, 7.55% African American, 0.29% Native American, 4.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.21% of the population. People from Apex or current residents of Apex are referred to as Apexians or Apexers.
There were 7,397 households out of which 46.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 44.8% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $71,052, and the median income for a family was $78,689 (these figures had risen to $81,545 and $91,326 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $55,587 versus $37,057 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $28,727. About 1.2% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census.- Wake County, North Carolina: 2010 Census Redistricting Data, wakegov.com
Geography
Apex is located at 35.731952°N 78.852878°W (35.731952, -78.852878).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 10.6 square miles (27.5 km²), of which, 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.57%) is water.
Neighboring towns include Raleigh to the east, Cary
Cary, North Carolina
Cary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham...
to the north and northeast, and Holly Springs
Holly Springs, North Carolina
Holly Springs is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. As of 2009, the town population was estimated at 21,749, and it had gained the title of"The fastest growing town in North Carolina".-Geography:...
to the south.
History
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. 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. 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
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
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
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, but growth began again in earnest in the 1950s. The town's proximity to North Carolina's Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...
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' infrastructure.
Apex has continued to grow in recent years. A sizable shopping center was built at the intersection of Highway 55 and US 64
U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles from eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 160 in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. The highway's eastern terminus is at NC 12 and U.S. Route...
, and several new neighborhoods have been built as the town grows toward the west.
In October 2006, a chemical fire in an Apex waste processing facility generated worldwide headlines when much of the town was temporarily evacuated. There were few serious injuries, and residents were soon able to return home.
In July 2009, CNN/Money
CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com is the world's largest business website. The site is the online home of Fortune and Money, and serves as CNN.com's exclusive business site. The site, edited by Chris Peacock, together with the three titles, is part of the Fortune|Money Group, and attracts more than 10.8 million unique...
magazine ranked Apex #44th http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/snapshots/PL3701520.html on its list of the nation's top places to live.
Government
Apex's Council-Manager form of government comprises 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 Keith Weatherly (4th term); he was first elected to the post in 1995 after serving two years on the council. Bryan Gossage (2nd term) is Apex's Mayor pro tem. Council members are: Bill Jensen (3rd term), Gene Schulze (3rd term), Lance Olive (1st term) and Terry Rowe (1st Term).
Councilman-elect Scott Lassiter will fill the seat of Bryan Gossage who ran for Mayor, but was defeated by incumbent Mayor Keith Weatherly.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,212 people, 7,397 households, and 5,584 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,918.2 people per square mile (740.4/km2). There were 8,028 housing units at an average density of 761.9 per square mile (294.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 85.06% White, 7.55% African American, 0.29% Native American, 4.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.21% of the population. People from Apex or current residents of Apex are referred to as Apexians or Apexers.
There were 7,397 households out of which 46.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 44.8% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $71,052, and the median income for a family was $78,689 (these figures had risen to $81,545 and $91,326 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $55,587 versus $37,057 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $28,727. About 1.2% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
- Apex Elementary School
- AV Baucom Elementary
- Olive Chapel Elementary
- Salem Elementary School
- Laurel Park Elementary School
- Apex Middle School
- Salem Middle School
- Apex High SchoolApex High SchoolApex High School is located in Apex, North Carolina in the United States. It is part of the Wake County Public School System and is on a 4x4 Block Schedule.- Athletics :Apex High School fields varsity teams for the following sports:...
http://www.apexhigh.com/ - Middle Creek High School
- St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School
- North Chatham School
- Thales Academy
- Lufkin Road Middle School
Passenger
- Air: Raleigh-Durham International AirportRaleigh-Durham International AirportRaleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international...
is on I-40Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
approximately eight miles north of downtown Apex. - Interstate Highway: I-40 is accessible from Apex via US 64 to Cary/Raleigh and via NC 55 to DurhamDurham, North CarolinaDurham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. - Apex is not served directly by passenger trains. AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
serves the nearby municipalities of Cary and Raleigh. - Local Bus: The Triangle Transit AuthorityTriangle Transit AuthorityThe Research Triangle Regional Public Transportation Authority which is known by the name Triangle Transit provides regional bus service to The Triangle region of North Carolina in the counties of Wake, Durham and Orange.- History :The 1989 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly enabled...
operates buses that serve the region and connect to municipal bus systems in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel HillChapel Hill, North CarolinaChapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
.
Roads
- The Apex Peakway will be, when completely finished, 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 5.97 miles (9.6 km) long; so far 4.21 miles (6.8 km) have been constructed.
- The Triangle ExpresswayTriExThe Triangle Expressway will be the first toll road built in North Carolina, and one of the first toll roads in the United States built to use only electronic toll collection instead of toll booths...
southwestern extension of I-540Interstate 540 (North Carolina)In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 540 and North Carolina Highway 540 share a partially completed interstate grade beltway, also known as the Raleigh Outer Loop, around the city of Raleigh. -Route description:...
is under construction in southern Apex to be opened in 2013. - US 64 and U.S. 1U.S. Route 1 in North CarolinaU.S. Route 1 is an north–south United States highway that runs for from the South Carolina state line, near Rockingham, to the Virginia state line, near Wise...
are both freeways in the Apex area. NC 55 travels through the center of town.
Bicycle and pedestrian
- U.S. Bicycle Route 1U.S. Bicycle Route 1U.S. Bicycle Route 1 is a cross-country bicycle route that will run the length of the United States eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine. It is one of the two original U.S. Bicycle Routes, the other being U.S...
routes through downtown Apex. Also, N.C. Bicycle Route #5 connects Apex to WilmingtonWilmington, North CarolinaWilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
and closely parallels the NCBC Randonneurs 600 kilometer brevet route.