The name Apex was adopted because the community was the highest point on the Chatham Railroad between Richmond, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida. Not only that, but in places along the main street, water which falls on one side of the street flows to the Neuse River, and on the other side flows to the Cape Fear River.
Apex is located in Wake County between Raleigh and Sanford along US Hwy 1 near Cary, Fuquay-Varina, B Everett Jordan Dam And Lake, and Harris Lake. The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 14,528, an increase of 9,739 since 1990.
Apex is part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metro area.
