Best Schools in Apex, North Carolina

Apex, North Carolina's public school system spans 21 ranked schools with an average score of 7.4 out of 10 — a strong baseline for a city of its size. Thirteen of those 21 schools, or 62%, score 7 or higher, meaning parents have real options across the city rather than a handful of outliers pulling the average up.

The elementary tier stands out. Apex Friendship Elementary leads all ranked schools with a 9.4 out of 10, the highest score in the city. Salem Elementary and Oakview Elementary each score 8.8, while Scotts Ridge Elementary (8.6) and Laurel Park Elementary (8.5) round out a top five that's tightly clustered near the top of the scale. Five elementary schools in the 8.5–9.4 range signals consistent academic performance across multiple attendance zones, not just one high-achieving campus.

That 62% rate — schools scoring 7 or better — matters practically. In many peer cities, strong performance concentrates in one or two schools while the rest lag. Apex's spread means families in different parts of the city have access to schools above that threshold, reducing the pressure to secure a spot at a single top-rated campus.

For parents comparing Apex to other North Carolina cities, the 7.4 average and the 9.4 ceiling at Apex Friendship Elementary are the two numbers to anchor on. The average tells you how the typical school performs day-to-day; the ceiling tells you how high the system can reach. Both figures are competitive. Families focused on elementary-age children have the most options here, with five schools rated 8.5 or above to evaluate. Use those individual school pages on MySchoolScout to compare test score trends, enrollment size, and grade-level performance before drawing conclusions from attendance zone maps alone.