Apex receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Apex
Clayton
Opportunity: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
92 · Top 1%
vs82 · Top 6%
Growth: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
82 · Top 4%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs64 · Top 45%
Housing affordability: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
89 · Top 35%
vs70 · Bottom 33%
Schools: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
83 · Top 10%
vs42 · Bottom 38%
Access: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Apex | Clayton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,630 | 29,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $144,135 | $78,822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,473 | $37,564 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,624/sq mi | 1,746/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $576,100 | $329,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,902 | $1,661 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.5% | 62.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.5% | 40.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.2% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,630 | 390 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.1 | 13.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 13.4% | 5.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 33.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.00 | 20.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 64.9% | 39.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 71.3% | 44.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.0% | 83.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Apex
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Clayton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Apex, NC · Clayton, NC · How this is calculated: methodology