Apex named Money magazine’s No. 1 place to live in United States

Apex is the best place to live in the country, says Money Magazine.

The magazine released the annual ranking Monday and features a family from Apex on its cover.

“It’s got small-town charm, plus all the benefits of being close to a big city,” Money Magazine wrote. “The community is friendly, and there are a variety of activities for residents to enjoy, from the youngest to the oldest.”

The publication’s annual list has honored Apex before, as No. 9 in the country, and No. 1 in North Carolina, in 2013.

This years’s list focuses on small towns. Two other North Carolina towns, Stallings and Harrisburg, made the top 50. Both are suburbs of Charlotte.

Mayor Bill Sutton, who was the Apex town manager for years before being appointed to mayor in 2013, has guided much of the town’s growth. He’s not running for a second term as mayor, but he said whomever is elected this November shouldn’t let the town rest on its laurels.

“It sets a tone of optimism, and hopefully it will make us more progressive moving forward,” Sutton said of the No. 1 ranking. “You could take the idea, ‘Well we’re number 1, let’s not change anything.’ I’m the opposite. I say, ‘Onward and upward. Let’s keep moving.’”

Since cracking the Top 10 in 2013, Apex has continued a large growth spurt, built parks, seen new public and private schools and has kept its downtown busy, even as new shopping centers have opened on the outskirts of town.

The magazine’s story on Apex focuses on downtown, especially the weekly farmers market and annual festivals, such as Jazz Fest. Sutton said the magazine was right to do so, because the downtown helps Apex stand out from other nearby towns.

“It’s sort of a real Americana, the downtown,” Sutton said. “It sort of reminds some people of their childhood or, if not their childhood, what they imagine America used to be like.”

Location also played a big part in its top ranking. Apex’s proximity to Raleigh, which also has been the recipient of numerous quality-of-life awards, helped, as did the nearby Research Triangle Park and universities.

The abundance of jobs in Triangle, combined with Apex’s small-town charms and affordable homes, helped it shoot to the top.

Sutton said Apex was able to make the jump from No. 9 to No. 1 because of the strength of the local job market. Unemployment dropped from 7 percent in 2013 to 4 percent today, Sutton said.

As if to emphasize the point, the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster business group also announced Monday that companies in the area that focus on energy and technology plan to hire as many as 3,300 new employees in the next five years.

Housing prices helped Apex’s score, too. A three-bedroom home costs an average of $265,000, compared to more than $1 million for a comparable house in Silicon Valley, the magazine says.

Town manager Bruce Radford narrates a video that accompanies the story where he touts the town’s location, amenities, community spirit, affordable housing and top-notch schools.

Radford sits in a rocking chair as he invites viewers to learn more about the town.

Residents are interviewed as well about what they like about the town. Several say they like that there are plenty of activities for families as well as older residents. One resident identified as Celeste cites the town’s small-town feel.

“But it’s not small,” she said. “All the modern conveniences are close by.”

As the video wraps up, Radford said, “If you’re thinking about relocating, we’d love to have you join us here in the peak of good living.

And then with a laugh, he adds, “Just don’t come all at one time.”

This story was originally published August 17, 2015 at 2:08 PM with the headline "Apex named Money magazine’s No. 1 place to live in United States."