Apex, North Carolina Housing Market

What stands out in Apex?

• Population is up 21.6% over five years: among the fastest population growth of 765 tracked cities. Growth brings tenants and buyers.
• The median household earns $142,511 a year: among the highest incomes of 765 tracked cities. Tenants can carry higher rents.
• Against its own 2017–2019, Apex leans further toward sellers than most tracked cities: among the strongest sellers’ markets against their own normal of 765 tracked cities. Sellers have unusual pull right now.

How far have Apex prices fallen?

Asking price per square foot in Apex is 10.8% below its Jan 2024 high and down 4.7% over the last year. Prices were above the year before in 72% of months since the data starts, so this market has climbed back from drops before. 26% of sellers have cut their price. Underwrite with no price growth for now and let the seller carry the next cut.

Is housing keeping up with Apex's growth?

The population in Apex's ZIP codes grew 21.6% over five years, faster than 97% of the cities we track. Households (+25.4%) and housing (+25.2%) grew in step. Homes for sale are 32% below 2017–2019 at this time of year.

How much can you negotiate in Apex?

For every 100 homes still for sale, 69 are under contract. In 2017–2019 at this time of year it was 20. The rest are still waiting for a buyer. About 1 in 4 sellers has already dropped their price. Each one has learned their first price was too high. Start your offer below their new price.

The typical Apex listing has been on the market 57 days. That is 17% longer than a year ago. There are 329 homes for sale in Apex. That is 13.2 times the tightest month on record, but below the peak of 533. Supply is growing against last year.

What to do about it

• Get your financing approved before you look.
• Decide your maximum price before you bid.
• Bid the day a good home lists, or hunt the few that have sat 60+ days.
• Walk away when the price passes your number. Another buyer will overpay. Let them.

Is now a good time to buy in Apex?

The median asking price is 28.2% below its Jan 2022 peak. Per square foot the gap is smaller: 10.8% below the Jan 2024 high. Part of the drop is smaller homes coming to market. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower. Apex prices have risen in 80 of the last 111 months. Drops here have been short and shallow. Buying in a slow month has rarely hurt a long hold.

If you plan to sell in the next two years, move it up. This much buyer demand does not last. Right now it does your negotiating for you.

Who will rent from you in Apex?

Only 20 out of every 100 Apex households rent. This is an owners' town. That share has held steady for five years. Apex added about 1,500 renter households in five years. Renter households average 2.3 people. Two and three bedrooms fit the typical renter.

The median Apex household earns $142,511 a year. Incomes here have grown 5.0% a year since 2019. Incomes are rising faster than home prices. Affordability is improving. A typical home costs 4.1 times the median income. That is the national middle. Neither cash flow nor appreciation is free here. At 30% of income, a tenant on the median income can pay about $3,563 a month.

To see what one Apex address would rent for and cash flow, run it through the app.

How does Apex compare with other North Carolina markets?

Ranked among the 21 North Carolina markets we track:

• Asking price: 3rd priciest of 21. Apex is at $584,380. Closest: Asheville and Cary.
• Buyer competition: the most competitive of 21. Apex is at 0.69 buyers per home. Closest: Huntersville.
• Time on market: 6th shortest time on market of 21. Apex is at a median of 57 days on market. Closest: Greensboro and Chapel Hill.
• Price cuts: 8th most price cuts of 21. Apex is at 26% of sellers cutting. Closest: High Point and Charlotte.

What numbers should you underwrite an Apex deal with?

• Price growth to assume — +2.1%/yr. Apex grew 4.8% a year over the decade. Ignore that rate. Most of it landed in the 2020 and 2021 boom. Without the boom, Apex grows about 2.1% a year. That is the number to type in. Prices fell 4.7% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.
• Odds you cut your price to sell — 1 in 4. 26% of Apex listings have cut their asking price. Underwrite your exit below asking.
• Comp on price per square foot — $238/sqft. The typical Apex listing shrank from 2,919 to 2,555 sqft since Jul 2016. So median price hides real growth: 65% per sqft versus 40% on the median. Comp on median price and you will overpay for small homes.
• Competition when you exit — +8%. Homes for sale in Apex are up 8% on last year, so your resale faces more competition than today's comps did.

Read how price cuts signal a market turning and how we read these numbers, then run the numbers on a deal.

What is the median home price in Apex?

The median asking price in Apex is about $584,000 as of Sep 2026, down 4.0% from a year ago. This is the asking price on homes listed for sale. Sites that report sold prices or estimated home values will show a different number. Our Apex figures cover the 3 ZIP codes with an Apex mailing address, which can reach past city limits.

Is Apex a buyer's or seller's market in 2026?

Sellers have more pull in Apex than usual. We compare Apex with 2017–2019 at this time of year: there are 69 pending sales per 100 listings, against 20 then; there are 32% fewer homes for sale; the typical listing has been up 12% fewer days.

Are Apex home prices going up or down?

The median asking price is 28.2% below its Jan 2022 peak. Per square foot the gap is smaller: 10.8% below the Jan 2024 high. Part of the drop is smaller homes coming to market. Prices are still falling. Waiting has paid off so far. Let listings age, then come back lower.

What is the best month to buy a house in Apex?

Across 9 full years, Apex asking prices ran lowest in September, about 2.9% below the year's average. They peaked in March. The most homes for sale show up in August, about 16% above the yearly average.

What price growth should I assume for Apex?

Assume +2.1% a year. Apex grew 4.8% a year over the decade. Ignore that rate. Most of it landed in the 2020 and 2021 boom. Without the boom, Apex grows about 2.1% a year. That is the number to type in. Prices fell 4.7% over the last year. Use it for timing. The five-year rate is the better guide.

What is the fair market rent in Apex?

HUD's fiscal year 2026 fair market rent for Wake County is $1,750 a month for 2 bedrooms and $2,196 for 3 bedrooms. The figures include tenant-paid utilities and cover the whole county.