Rents are 8% below what Apex's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,947 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in Apex usually run 1.1% below trend in February and 1.2% above it in July, about $45 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Apex is 0.8% below its high of $1,963 in February 2025, at $1,947 as of September 2026.
Rent in Apex changed +0.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 94 North Carolina cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.9%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Apex rose 30.5% while median household income rose 29.3% ($111,435 to $144,135). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Apex is 30.8% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 6 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($144,135) is $3,603 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($3,517).
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Apex, 27502 ($2,082/mo), costs 20% more than the cheapest, 27539 ($1,729/mo).
Morrisville, 10 miles away, rents for 15% less ($1,650/mo), about $3,600 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Apex. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Apex, NC is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 69.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Apex, NC has changed in 5 years
Across the past five years, the going rent in Apex, NC has shifted from $1,578 to $1,947, up 23.4% since 2021. Household income in the area moved from $121,313 to $144,135 across the same window, up 18.8% versus 2021. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Apex, NC adding about 12,564 residents over the five-year window, up 21.6% on net. The renter share has eased from 26.1% to 23.5%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 64.4% to 69.5% across the same window. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Apex, NC look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Apex on your salary?
At $1,947/mo, how Apex rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Apex rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Apex. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Apex
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Apex is $1,947/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,827/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,107/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,897/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,620/mo.
At 16% of local median household income ($144,135/yr), Apex ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Apex?
At $1,947/mo, rent takes ~16% of Apex's median household income ($144,135/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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