The charming town of Apex offers a wonderful lifestyle. It has seen rapid growth in recent years for a reason and is considered one of the most popular and mature neighborhoods within easy commutes of Raleigh and Durham. It’s known for its tree-lined streets, historic downtown with charming architecture, top-rated schools, and a lower price point on housing compared to Raleigh. It’s also within convenient access to Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Research Triangle Park, and close proximity to Jordan Lake State Park.
Apex is known to be a nice place to live, but don’t just take my word for it; in 2015, Money Magazine named Apex as the top place to live in the USA, and in my mind has only improved since then! If you’re interested in living in Apex, North Carolina, in this guide, we are sharing helpful insights on the best neighborhoods in Apex to call home, whether you are a family, a couple, a retiree, young professionals, or you live alone.
About Apex
Established in 1873, Apex, North Carolina, is just shy of 150 years old, though don’t be fooled into believing it’s stuck frozen in time. Apex retains its historic charm, but also has development projects that elevate it into the modern age and make it an up-and-coming area. In fact, there is currently a $3 billion mixed-use development project underway which spans 1,100-acres and will feature converted historic buildings turned into shops, restaurants, homes, hotels, office space, and more. So watch this space!
The town is centered around the charming and historic downtown area that is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. I believe the highlight of Apex is the historic downtown area. You can park your car and explore on foot. Wander up and down the quaint and pedestrian-friendly Salem Street, and you will discover colorful buildings, beautifully restored specialty stores, and terrific locally owned restaurants, cafes, bars, and taprooms. Just strolling around downtown Apex is a timeless experience. It is an historic railroad town, and it got its name from a location at the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad, which is the reason for its slogan “the peak of good living.” Regarding schools, Apex is served by the highly regarded Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) that includes 2 high schools, 4 middle schools, and 5 elementary schools. There are also 4 private schools.
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Where is Apex, North Carolina?
Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina. It is located 14 miles (25-minute drive) Southwest of downtown Raleigh with direct highway access via US-1. It is conveniently located near I-540, which connects you to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in approximately 20 minutes, and to Research Triangle Park (RTP), also in approximately 20-minutes. Approximate drive times from downtown Apex to popular places include:
- Downtown Raleigh: 25-30 minutes
- Raleigh Airport: 20 minutes
- RTP: 20 minutes
- NC State University: 20 minutes
- Lenovo Center, home of the Carolina Hurricanes: 25 minutes
- Duke University in Durham: 35-40 mins
- UNC in Chapel Hill: 35-40 mins
Immediate neighboring towns include Cary to the north and northeast, Holly Springs to the south, and of course Raleigh to the east and northeast. Apex is in one of the prime locations in Wake County, and while traffic can be a little challenging during peak rush hour, you’re never too far away from the best that the Triangle area has to offer. While Apex has experienced tremendous growth and, with around 80,000 residents, is now the 3rd largest area in Wake County after Raleigh and Cary, you can still find small-town charm with easy access to big-city amenities.
Best Neighborhoods in Apex NC
Let’s talk about some of the best places to live in Apex, NC, including well-established neighborhoods and master planned communities. You can read detailed information about each neighborhood below.
Bella Casa Neighborhood
Bella Casa is located in west Apex and is one of the best suburban communities. This is a family-friendly community that was built in 2013 and consists of over 1,000 homes located just 4 miles west of downtown Apex and 2.5 miles from I-540. Drive times from Bella Casa include:
- Downtown Apex: 9 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 25-30 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 25 minutes
Bella Casa has home sizes ranging from 2200 sqft up to 6500 sqft, with spacious yards, patios, and long drives. Prices range from $470K to over $1.5 million. Amenities include 3 pools (one with a waterslide) and 2 clubhouses. And the community has a social committee that organizes fun events such as pool parties, masquerade balls, trunk-or-treat, food truck schedules, new neighbor gatherings, and neighborhood clubs.
Here you’ll find younger trees and nice landscaping, plus surrounding forest and wooded areas. And Bella Casa is adjacent to Seymour Athletic Fields consisting of soccer fields, a disc golf course, tennis courts, and a kid’s playground.
Apex Nature Park is close by and home to a natural amphitheater, a short nature trail, a dog park, and disc golf. And the main shopping center of Beaver Creek Crossings is only 7-minutes’ drive away. Schools zoned to Bella Casa include:
Haddon Hall Neighborhood
Haddon Hall is one of the older, more well-established Apex neighborhoods. It was built in 1997 and still continues to develop. It’s a reasonably priced community of around 800 single-family homes, townhouses, and condos, but mostly features large homes. It is located only 1.7 miles Northwest of downtown Apex, which puts it in walking distance. Commute times from Haddon Hall include:
- Downtown Apex: 4 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 25 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
Haddon Hall has home sizes ranging from 1,800 sqft to over 5,000 sqft, and prices from $268K to over $965k. Amenities include a lap pool (which is staffed by certified lifeguards during the busiest pool hours), a playground for kids up to 12 years old, two lighted tennis courts, and a clubhouse which is used for community meetings, functions, and social events.
Here you’ll find tree-lined streets, walking trails that wind through wooded areas of Haddon Hall, which are maintained by the Town of Apex, and a quiet pond that’s popular for walking, jogging, biking, or fishing.
You’re only 3-minutes’ drive from the Beaver Creek Crossings shopping mall, and you have close access to I-64, I-540, and major area employers. Schools zoned to Haddon Hall include:
Sweetwater Neighborhood
Sweetwater is one of the newer planned communities conveniently located right off Hwy 64 and I-540 with good access to Apex and western Wake County. There is a mixture of single-family homes and townhomes of varying sizes and prices to choose from, but it is mostly made up of medium-sized homes. Its location is highly desirable, which puts it at one of the more competitive neighborhoods for buyers. Drive times from Sweetwater include:
- Downtown Apex: 10 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 30 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
Amenities include a clubhouse, fitness center, an amazing pool, playground, and BBQ area, plus 10 small parks and 2 dog parks. Property sizes range from around 1,900 square feet to over 4,700 square feet, with prices from $595K to over $1.3 million. You will find smaller lots here, but a cool variety of townhomes inspired by Charleston, Savannah, Beaufort, and Jamestown, plus larger single-family homes and lots towards the back of the community.
Beaver Creek Crossings shopping area is only a 5-minute drive away. And there’s a 45-acre commercial and entertainment complex on site, including shopping, dining, and entertainment! Schools zoned to Sweetwater include:
Abbington (and Stratford) Neighborhoods
Abbington is a custom-built home subdivision with over 400 homes in the western part of Apex. Located right off I-64 and I-540, it’s just a 4-mile drive west of downtown Apex and minutes from Beaver Creek Crossings, so everything is at your fingertips. Drive times from Abbingdon include:
- Downtown Apex: 8 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 30 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
There are two sections here: Abbington and Stratford at Abbington. The area is built out with single-family homes, and the private community boasts amenities, which includes a competition-sized swimming pool, two tennis courts, and a children’s playground.
Abbington offers custom-built homes in a wide variety of sizes and prices, with square footage ranging from 2,200 sqft up to 5,500 sqft, and home prices from $730K and up to $1.1 million. Homes were built in two stages from the late 90’s until about 2012.
Beaver Creek Crossings shopping area is about a 5-minute drive away, the excellent Kelly Road Park kids’ playground is just a 3-minute drive away, and the Beaver Creek Greenway is also just 5 minutes away. Schools zoned to Abbington include:
Destin Neighborhood
Destin is a premier luxury custom estate neighborhood in a rural setting. Its location is 11 miles northwest of downtown Apex and about halfway between Raleigh and the Pittsboro area. It is sometimes referred to as Destin, Cary, but it has an Apex address. This premier no-maintenance luxury estate sits among the peace and serenity of the Chatham County countryside and is a fast-growing community. Drive times from Destin include:
- Downtown Apex: 20 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 35 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 30 minutes
Destin lies in the watershed of Lake Jordan, an area known for its gentle rolling hills and the largest population of American Bald Eagles on the East Coast. Perfectly positioned for future growth, its location on Lewter Shop Road is being integrated into the I-540 corridor via a new interchange. Because it’s quite a new neighborhood, there isn’t much in the way of real estate figures to go on, but previous homes here have closed between the ranges of $1,743,000 and $2,370,000. Amenities include paved greenways, pickleball courts, wooded dog walking trails, pet washing facilities, and a common gazebo area.
Over a century of combined custom home design-build experience culminates in Destin’s highly desirable floor plans and simplified luxury. Choose from 40 wooded lots.
Beaver Creek Crossings shopping area is about 15 minutes away. And you’re only 15-minutes from Jordan Lake Recreation Area for access to beaches, boat landings, and several campsite areas. And 20-minutes from Umstead State Park, which offers terrific nature trails for walking, biking, and horse riding.
Greyhawk Landing
Greyhawk Landing is a ten-ten road neighborhood with affordable housing and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. The average household size is 3 people, with the largest age group being 54, making it a more mature neighborhood that caters to families and retirees alike. You can find homes anywhere from $1.2 million up to $1.5 million, because it’s desirable and most homes have been sold already, so it’s rare to find a home in this neighborhood on the market. Drive times from Greyhawk include:
- Downtown Apex: 9 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 22 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 24 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 24 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 38 minutes
Schools zoned to Greyhawk Landing include:
Waterford Green
Waterford Green is a beautiful neighborhood of 403 homes with maintained grounds and communal areas for residents to enjoy. It’s within walking distance of Apex downtown and has many great restaurants and shopping facilities nearby. It’s also located right next to Interstate 1, putting it in ideal commuter distance of the highway for anyone needing to get to Raleigh or the Research Triangle Park with ease.
On top of its ideal location, property prices are much lower here compared to some of Apex’s other lovely neighborhoods, with average home prices falling between $470K – $700K. Drive times from Waterford Green include:
- Downtown Apex: 4 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 20 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 32 minutes
Schools zoned to Waterford Green include:
- Lufkin Road Middle School
- Triangle Math and Science Academy
- Apex High School
- Apex Middle School
- Apex Elementary School
Carriage Downs
Carriage Downs is a small neighborhood just south of Haddons Hill and next to Beaver Creek Commons. There are 68 townhomes in this neighborhood, as well as 72 single-family homes, all completed in 2005. Each home has a lovely landscaped lawn and charming backyards, as well as large driveways and garages. Some homes have pools or private woods!
Carriage Downs also has community facilities such as a playground for kids and a scenic pond. It’s also within walking distance of downtown, as well as a movie theater, Target, and huge grocery and department stores.
Home prices are reasonable here, starting from around $345K and going up from there. Closed prices in recent years have capped at around $480K, so it’s your best neighborhood for finding a cheaper family home. Drive times from Carriage Downs include:
- Downtown Apex: 5 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 25 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 30 minutes
Schools zoned to Carriage Downs include:
Scotts Mill
Another desirable neighborhood in Apex is Scotts Mill, which is just a short drive from downtown and Beaver Creek/Commons. With luxurious, modern homes surrounded by tree-lined streets and lavish lawns, it’s a stately neighborhood with a peaceful atmosphere, but ideally located near everything you need.
There’s a Clubhouse for residents, which includes a neighborhood pool, and they also put on neighborhood events such as Halloween Parades, Easter Egg Hunts, and meeting Santa at Christmas. For parents, there are book clubs and wine tasting nights. It’s the ideal neighborhood for families looking for a close-knit, community feel. Prices start at around $512K and go up to around $825K. The average house price is around $560K. Drive times from Scotts Mill include:
- Downtown Apex: 6 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 25 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 30 minutes
The following schools zoned to Crocketts Ridge include:
Salem Oaks
The Salem Oaks neighborhood is also just south of Haddons Hill and is one of Apex’s older and smaller neighborhoods. Homes here tend to be mid-sized family homes, but because they are within close walking distance of downtown and rarely come on the market, you can expect prices to come in at around $480K. Across the road, you will find Hunter Street Park with a large playground for kids and a basketball court, and there is also a GP doctor’s surgery within walking distance. Drive times from Salem Oaks include:
- Downtown Apex: 2 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 25 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 30 minutes
Schools zoned to Crocketts Ridge include:
Crocketts Ridge
Crocketts Ridge is a little further outside the hustle and bustle of Apex, not that there’s much hustling to be had in a small town! Its rural location is tranquil and quiet, but also just a stone’s throw from U.S. 540, connecting you to the Research Triangle Park and U.S. 1, which takes you into Raleigh. Homes are built in a stunning Victorian style and are spacious and bright, with large front lawns, long driveways, and tree-lined streets.
House prices fall around $485K to $645K for a 4-bedroom home, and are usually snapped up fast once they hit the market. Drive times from Crocketts Ridge include:
- Downtown Apex: 7 minutes
- Downtown Raleigh: 25 minutes
- Research Triangle Park (RTP): 20 minutes
- Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU): 20 minutes
- UNC-Chapel Hill: 30 minutes
Schools zoned to Crocketts Ridge include:
- Scotts Ridge Elementary School
- St. Mary Magdalene Catholic School
- Olive Chapel Elementary School
- Apex Friendship High School
- Apex Friendship Middle School
- Apex Friendship Elementary School
Snapshot of Apex Real Estate (September, 2026)
- 106 homes sold in the last 30-day period
- 36 active residential development projects underway in 2026
- Median number of days on the market is 19
- Average sale price is $600-$615k
- On average, there are 10 showings per listing
This is just a short list of some of the best neighborhoods in Apex. Here are essential things to know before relocating to Wake County. If you’d like more information on living in Apex and to be put in touch with our expert realtor partner, be sure to fill in the form below; we’ll put you in touch with our vetted and qualified realtor partner!
Looking for a realtor?
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