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Apex, North Carolina was voted the number one place to live in the country by Money magazine in 2015,
and ever since then people have been flocking to Apex and the Greater Raleigh area from all over the country. It may seem like a great place to live, but there are pros and cons to living here. Before making a move, read on for 5 Pros and Cons of Living in Apex, NC or the Greater Raleigh area.
Pro #1 - Location
Apex is conveniently located right in the middle of the state. It's about a three-hour drive to the mountains, a two-hour drive to the beach,
and then in town, within a 15-minute drive, you can be to RDU International Airport, downtown Raleigh, downtown Durham, Jordan Lake, Cary, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina. Everything is very easy to get to from Apex.
Con #1 - Population Growth
I have lived in North Carolina for the better part of my adult life. I moved to Apex in 2007, back when it was just a quaint, sleepy, little town and it is not so sleepy or little anymore. The population growth in the whole Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) has been huge over the last several years, Apex included. Lots of people have heard great things about our area and are considering moving here. The problem with the rapid growth is that the infrastructure and growth plan can't always keep up with how quickly the population is changing. The lack of infrastructure can lead to other cons, so read on for those.
Pro #2 - Outdoor activities
Apex has so many wonderful outdoor activities to offer, from greenways to hiking trails; water activities at nearby Jordan Lake, where you can kayak, fish, and boat;
to golf and community athletic facilities, dog parks, and skate parks. There are also pickleball courts and tennis courts. And anything that you can't find in Apex, you can easily find in adjoining towns within a short, 15 to 20-minute drive.
Con #2 - Traffic
Because the population is growing so fast in this area, the town of Apex can't always keep up with the road improvements to accommodate that population growth. For so many years, two-lane roads were all that we had and it was sufficient for all of the traffic. But with this increase in population, the two-lane roads just aren't cutting it anymore. You're seeing increased commute times; backups and traffic; sometimes it's even hard to get out of your own neighborhood. The town of Apex is diligently working on this issue and there will be many road-widening projects that happen over the next few years. That, and the completion of 540, which is a toll road that goes all the way around the greater Raleigh area, will really help cut down these commute times and make travel between adjoining towns and cities that much easier.
Click the link below if you'd like to receive a free copy of my Apex, NC Relocation Guide
Pro #3 - The Job Market
The Triangle area is known for its Biotech, Pharmaceuticals, Technology, and Gaming industries. Cisco, IBM, SAS, and Epic Games are just to name a few, and Google and Apple are supposed to be coming soon. And as I mentioned before, Apex is a convenient location to access any of these facilities within a short commute.
Con #3 - Schools
This can be a frustrating one for people moving into the Triangle area. I grew up in Upstate New York, and when I was a kid there were really no choices of where you went to school.Based on your address, you just knew what school district you were in. You just went there, and all of the schools had summers off, and it was just pretty easy.
This is not the case in Apex or anywhere in the Triangle area. Not only are there Traditional Calendar schools where you have summers off; but there are Year-round schools: and even within the Year-round schools there are different tracks: You may have track one, track two, track three, track four: there are Charter schools and Magnet schools, Private schools and Catholic schools.
There are so many options, and this can definitely be a source of stress for people. Because here's what happens with the population growth; Schools can only accommodate so many students and end up filling up or capping. Based on an address, you are assigned a home base school. If your home base school is capped, then you are assigned to an overflow school.
My advice is do not buy a home in the Greater Raleigh area based on a school that you think you want your child to attend. Pick a city, a town, a community somewhere where you will be happy to live. Be prepared to be flexible as to the school that your child will attend.
LINK FOR WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM - Wake County Public School System / Homepage (wcpss.net)
Just a side note, the numerous choices of schools in the Triangle area are also considered to be a pro by many!
Pro #4 - Our Mayor
We love our Mayor! Jacques Gilbert is the Mayor of Apex.
Mayor Gilbert is a lifelong Apex resident. He was a Captain of the Apex Police force. Elected to be Mayor of Apex in 2019, he is extremely approachable and down to Earth. You could go up to him, shake his hand and he will be ready for a chat. He always has his ears open and listens to people's opinions. He championed our Downtown Apex Skate Park to give the youth a place to congregate and have fun, and he is always looking for ways to make Apex a better place to live.
Con #4 - Cost of Housing
With the population explosion in the Greater Raleigh area comes a demand for housing, and with a greater demand for housing comes an increased price of housing. These days, more and more townhomes are being built, and larger, single-family homes are being built on smaller and smaller lots. A townhome in 2023 might cost the same as a median single-family home in 2019. It's getting more and more expensive with the increase in population.
Pro #5 - Our Downtown
Downtown Apex is small but mighty. It's only a couple of blocks long, but there are so many things to do throughout the year. There are so many nice boutiques and shops and restaurants. And there are festivals throughout the year, the weekend farmers market, and live music events. It's a really fun place to be and it makes me so happy every time I walk or drive through downtown and see lots and lots of people out at all times.
Con #5 - Tie between Heat & Humidity and Pollen
OK, so there are a couple of smaller cons that I just want to talk about really quickly. The heat and humidity...I mean, it is just basically like being in hell. I've lived in North Carolina since 1999 and I am still not used to the heat! I personally don't like sweating unless I set out to sweat; like working out. I'll go on a sales call and start by dressing up and looking all nice and then by the time I get to the door I'm just a soggy mess. All summer long I personally go from air-conditioned space to air-conditioned space and just live there. If you have access to a pool or if you love the heat, this is definitely the place for you!
And lastly, I'd like to talk about a con that deserves honorable mention in North Carolina; the pollen. Especially in spring and fall, there's always going to be some kind of allergen that really affects most people, even me. I've been here since 1999 and I never really had allergies, but after this many years living here, I now get sinus pressure and stuffiness, and headaches. And I know that my husband and my son who suffer from allergies much worse than I do have runny eyes and lots (and LOTS) of sneezing. So just be aware that North Carolina and the Triangle had lots of pollen!
I don't want to end on a con: That just feels wrong! I just want to say that Apex is a wonderful, diverse place with people who move here from all over the United States and all over the world. It's a melting pot of people. It's a wonderful town with so much to do, and so many outdoor activities and I love it. I call it home and I have for many years!
Are you considering a move to Apex, NC, or the Greater Raleigh area? Let me know if I can answer any questions for you or help you with your home search!
