ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 27523

Part of Apex, NC

Pop. 20,269·Wake County·52nd most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,878/mo

Year-over-Year

-0.8%

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

-$54

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 27523 · $1,878

More expensive than 54% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,820

1 BR

$1,920

2 BR

$2,110

3 BR

$2,640

4 BR+

$3,470

Research median

$2,110/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

February. Asking rents in ZIP 27523 usually run 2% below trend in February and 1.7% above it in August, about $69 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 27523 is 1.7% below its high of $1,910 in February 2025, at $1,878 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of North Carolina

Rent in ZIP 27523 changed -0.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Recent direction

Rent has fallen 2 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($135,625) is $3,391 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($2,640); a 4-bedroom is $3,470.

Rank in Apex

2nd cheapest of 3 ZIP codes in Apex.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 27517, 6 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,669/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 27523. 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.

Annual cost

$22,536/yr

At $1,878/mo median

Location

CityApex

StateNC

CountyWake County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (-0.8% YoY, -0.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 27523 (Apex, NC) is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income above the national average, 70.4% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

20,269

Median income

$135,625

Median age

39.1

Renters

27.7%

Age distribution

26.2%

16.5%

30.9%

15.8%

Under 1826.2%

18–3416.5%

35–5430.9%

55–6410.7%

65+15.8%

Gender

49.3%

50.7%

Male49.3%

Female50.7%

Race & ethnicity

54.5%

30.9%

White54.5%

Black5%

Hispanic5.6%

Asian30.9%

Other4%

Education (25+)

19.2%

70.4%

No HS diploma1.8%

HS diploma8.6%

Some college19.2%

Bachelor's+70.4%

Housing tenure

72.3%

27.7%

Owner72.3%

Renter27.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 27523 in Apex, NC has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,557 → $1,878

up 20.6%

Income

$108,025 → $135,625

up 25.5%

Population

14,777 → 20,269

up 37.2%

Renter share

30% → 27.7%

-2.3 pts

Bachelor's+

67.2% → 70.4%

+3.2 pts

Median age

38.2 → 39.1

+0.9 yrs

Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 27523 in Apex, NC has increased by $321 per month, settling near $1,878 after starting the period at $1,557. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $108,025 in 2021 to $135,625 more recently. Income growth outran rent by about 4.9 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 14,777 to 20,269 between 2021 and 2024, a 37.2% change. About 27.7% of households rent today, against 30% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 67.2% to 70.4%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 27523 in Apex, NC market of 2021.

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About renting in ZIP 27523

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 27523 covers Apex, NC. The median rent here is $1,878/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,920/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,110/mo.

At 17% of local median household income ($135,625/yr), ZIP 27523 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have decreased 0.8% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 27523?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $75,000/year (about $36/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,878/mo in ZIP 27523. The local median household income is $135,625/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 27523?

Rent in ZIP 27523 has fallen 0.8% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 1.7% below its high of $1,910 in February 2025.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 27523?

Asking rents in ZIP 27523 are usually lowest in February, about 2% below their yearly trend, and highest in August, about 1.7% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $69 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 27523 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?

ZIP 27523 is one of the pricier among North Carolina ZIP codes for rent, ranking #52 of 230 at $1,878/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 27523 changed -0.8%, against a typical +2.6% across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks.