PlainZIP

Apex, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27539

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

18,692
229/sq mi
$145,947
Median income
$565,600
Median home value
64.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Apex pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 4%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
229
people per sq mi
83%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27539 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27539 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Apex, Wake County, North Carolina, home to 18,692 residents across 81.7 square miles, a density of 229 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27539 skews affluent, with a median household income of $145,947 (111% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $58,937. The poverty rate stands at 2.5% and the unemployment rate at 4.2%. Median home value sits at $565,600 (118% above the state average), median rent at $1,885 a month, and owner-occupancy at 83.1%.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 64.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.7, and the average commute is 28 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Wake County, letting you compare 27539 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 27539

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Apex, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27539.

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 27539, 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

18,692

Population

81.7

Area (sq mi)

229

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 27539?

37.7

Median Age

51.0%

Male

49.0%

Female

9.0%

Foreign-Born

White 72.8%
African American 8.3%
Asian 3.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 12.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%

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?

$145,947

Median Household Income

+111% vs state

$58,937

Per Capita Income

2.5%

Poverty Rate

4.2%

Unemployment Rate

28.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27539 ranks nationally

Apex, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$145,947 Top 4% higher than 96% 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%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 74.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 64.0%

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

What does housing look like?

9,068

Total Housing Units

8,709

Occupied Units

359

Vacant Units

2.97

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.1%
Renter 16.9%

$565,600

Median Home Value

+118% vs state

$1,885

Median Rent

2004

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

+3.0%

YoY Change (2024)

270

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+170%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27539 have increased 3.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +170% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.9% 169
2021 +15.3% 195
2022 +23.9% 241
2023 +8.7% 262
2024 +3.0% 270

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 482 business establishments in ZIP 27539, employing approximately 5,391 people with a combined annual payroll of $334,340,000.

482

Businesses

5,391

Employees

$334.3M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 105 21.8%
Construction 99 20.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 41 8.5%
Other services (except public administration) 37 7.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 31 6.4%
Health care and social assistance 30 6.2%
Wholesale trade 28 5.8%
Retail trade 28 5.8%
Accommodation and food services 18 3.7%
Manufacturing 16 3.3%
Transportation and warehousing 13 2.7%
Educational services 11 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 2.1%
Information 8 1.7%
Finance and insurance 6 1.2%

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 27539 vs 27518 →

ZIP 27539 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 27539 ranks #0 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 27539 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 27539 ranks #2 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
27518 Cary, NC 19,630 4.3 mi
27511 Cary, NC 32,029 6.2 mi
27540 Holly Springs, NC 29,363 5.4 mi
27513 Cary, NC 40,755 8.7 mi
27502 Apex, NC 30,831 6.4 mi
27526 Fuquay Varina, NC 38,894 9.4 mi
27606 Raleigh, NC 43,210 7.0 mi
27519 Cary, NC 39,178 9.9 mi
27607 Raleigh, NC 25,188 10.7 mi
27523 Apex, NC 9,552 10.5 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 27539 in? ▼
ZIP code 27539 (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 27539? ▼
ZIP code 27539 in Apex, NC has a population of 18,692 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27539? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27539 is $145,947, which is 91% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27539? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27539 is $565,600, which is 103% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27539? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27539 is White at 72.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27539? ▼
ZIP code 27539 has 482 business establishments employing approximately 5,391 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27539? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27539 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (105), Construction (99), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (41). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27539? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27539 increased by 3.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 170%. 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 27539? ▼
In ZIP code 27539, 74.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 64.0% 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 27539? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27539 is 28.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27539? ▼
In ZIP code 27539, approximately 83.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27539? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27539 is 2.5% 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.