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Very Good

#770 of 2,648 schools in NC

Top 29% in state

Apex High

High School · Wake County Schools · Apex, NC

A Wake County Schools high school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1501 Laura Duncan Road, Apex, NC 27502

  • Math 79% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 75% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 96.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress7.7Very Good25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics8.7Excellent25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency78.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency75.3% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+22.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+21.7 pts
Overall Proficiency77% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)70% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected+6.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile80th
College Readiness8.6Excellent30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate96%
AP Participation35.1%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment3.6Needs Improvement20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.3:1
District spending per student$11,691
Chronic Absenteeism23.2%

Students at Apex High score 77% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 70%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency79%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency75%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 12 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 77% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
96%
ELA
83%
2010
Math
97%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
96%
ELA
96%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
78%
2013
Math
67%
ELA
77%
2014
Math
68%
ELA
76%
2015
Math
74%
ELA
74%
2016
Math
73%
ELA
70%
2017
Math
1%
ELA
68%
2018
Math
81%
ELA
74%
2019
Math
81%
ELA
74%
2020*
Math
86%
ELA
73%
2021*
Math
86%
ELA
73%
2025
Math
79%
ELA
75%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 76% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 77% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

22%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Apex High sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Raleigh map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 39Car-Dependent
  • Bike 28Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low115/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$137,088

Median home value

$491,900

Median rent

$1,786/mo

College educated

66%

Homeownership

81.4%

Poverty rate

2.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27502; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs4AP courses offered
35.1% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics18sports offered
8 boys'·10 girls'·39 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Mariposa SchoolPrivate · tuitionNot rated2–121.9 mi21Compare →
Triangle Math and Science AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified7.9K–121.9 mi1,341Compare →
Scholars Academy Gifted and Artistically ElitePrivate · tuition6.8private1–123.5 mi35Compare →
Green Level HighEnrollment path unverified6.89–124.0 mi2,149Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Wake County Schools

Schools in district
197
Rank in district
#92 of 194
District spending per student
$11,691NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
9.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Apex High is listed in Wake County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Apex High

Apex High is a public high school in Apex, NC, part of Wake County Schools, serving approximately 2,434 students in grades 9th-12th with a 19.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 out of 10 and ranks #770 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 76% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 77% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Apex High

What grades does Apex High serve?

Apex High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Apex High?

Apex High has an enrollment of approximately 2,434 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Apex High?

The student-teacher ratio at Apex High is 19.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Apex High rank in NC?

Apex High ranks #770 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Apex High's MySchoolScout rating?

Apex High has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Apex High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Apex High has 76% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 77% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Apex High a charter school?

No, Apex High is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Apex High a Title I school?

No, Apex High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Apex High?

22.0% of students at Apex High qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
9th – 12th
Enrollment
2,434
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
126
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Wake County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.2%
4-Year Graduation
96.0%
Area population (ZIP 27502)
47,436
Area average commute
24 min
Area median age
37.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 27502; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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