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
Garner
Opportunity: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
92 · Top 1%
vs83 · Top 4%
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: Garner is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
89 · Top 35%
vs70 · Bottom 34%
Schools: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
83 · Top 10%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability: Apex is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Apex | Garner | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,630 | 34,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $144,135 | $78,756 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,473 | $44,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,624/sq mi | 1,747/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $576,100 | $355,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,902 | $1,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.5% | 63.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.5% | 46.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.2% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,630 | 1,158 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.1 | 33.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 13.4% | -20.4% | 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 | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.6 min | 28.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 37.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.00 | 15.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 64.9% | 33.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 71.3% | 38.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.0% | 81.8% | 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.
Full profiles: Apex, NC · Garner, NC · How this is calculated: methodology