PlainZIP

Apex, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27523

Wake County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

9,552
89/sq mi
$135,625
Median income
$659,300
Median home value
70.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Apex pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 6%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 7%
home value, US ZIPs
89
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27523 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27523 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Apex, Wake County, North Carolina, home to 9,552 residents across 107.0 square miles, a density of 89 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27523 skews affluent, with a median household income of $135,625 (96% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $65,208. 6.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 2.7%. On housing, the median home value is $659,300 (154% above the state average) with median rent at $1,939 per month, and 72.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 70.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.1, and the average commute is 24 minutes. Beyond these figures, 9 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Wake County, letting you compare 27523 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 27523

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Apex, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27523.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27523, Apex, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

9,552

Population

107.0

Area (sq mi)

89

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 27523?

39.1

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

27.8%

Foreign-Born

White 54.5%
African American 5.0%
Asian 30.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.6%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$135,625

Median Household Income

+96% vs state

$65,208

Per Capita Income

6.8%

Poverty Rate

2.7%

Unemployment Rate

23.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27523 ranks nationally

Apex, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$135,625 Top 6% higher than 94% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 79.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 70.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,450

Total Housing Units

7,905

Occupied Units

545

Vacant Units

2.56

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.3%
Renter 27.7%

$659,300

Median Home Value

+154% vs state

$1,939

Median Rent

2008

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.7%

YoY Change (2024)

280

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+180%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27523 have increased 3.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +180% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.5% 184
2021 +9.5% 201
2022 +23.2% 247
2023 +9.2% 270
2024 +3.7% 280

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 368 business establishments in ZIP 27523, employing approximately 3,140 people with a combined annual payroll of $152,795,000.

368

Businesses

3,140

Employees

$152.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 80 21.7%
Retail trade 33 9.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 8.4%
Health care and social assistance 31 8.4%
Accommodation and food services 31 8.4%
Other services (except public administration) 31 8.4%
Construction 23 6.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 23 6.3%
Finance and insurance 18 4.9%
Wholesale trade 15 4.1%
Educational services 13 3.5%
Manufacturing 11 3.0%
Transportation and warehousing 10 2.7%
Information 6 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 27523 vs 27502 →

ZIP 27523 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27523 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 27523 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 27523 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
27502 Apex, NC 30,831 4.4 mi
27519 Cary, NC 39,178 4.8 mi
27517 Chapel Hill, NC 23,346 6.5 mi
27562 New Hill, NC 1,938 9.2 mi
27713 Durham, NC 46,660 8.7 mi
27560 Morrisville, NC 22,623 9.6 mi
27539 Apex, NC 18,692 10.5 mi
27510 Carrboro, NC 14,644 12.0 mi
27559 Moncure, NC 2,288 12.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wake County

27610 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 65,648
27587 standard
Wake Forest, NC
Pop: 53,078
27603 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 47,033
27606 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 43,210
27613 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 42,690
27616 standard
Raleigh, NC
Pop: 42,294

Related Areas

Wake County Apex, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27523 in? ▼
ZIP code 27523 (Apex) is located in Wake County, North Carolina. Wake County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wake-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27523? ▼
ZIP code 27523 in Apex, NC has a population of 9,552 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27523? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27523 is $135,625, which is 78% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27523? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27523 is $659,300, which is 137% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27523? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27523 is White at 54.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27523? ▼
ZIP code 27523 has 368 business establishments employing approximately 3,140 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27523? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27523 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (80), Retail trade (33), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (31). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27523? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27523 increased by 3.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 180%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 27523? ▼
In ZIP code 27523, 79.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 70.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27523? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27523 is 23.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27523? ▼
In ZIP code 27523, approximately 72.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27523? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27523 is 6.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.