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Apex vs Garner

Apex, North Carolina versus Garner, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Apex

Solid · objective livability51/100

Garner

Mixed · objective livability44/100

Apex edges out Garner on overall objective livability (51 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorApexGarner
Affordability
Median Household Income$130k$77k
Cost of Living$64k$64k
Home Value$458k$289k
Monthly Rent$2k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.77%0.83%
Income Tax4.50%4.50%
Sales Tax7.00%7.00%
Estimated total tax burden9.55%9.92%
Unemployment4.1%5.8%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F41°F
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F80°F
Annual Precipitation48.3 in50.7 in
Annual Snowfall4.8 in3.2 in
Sunny Days194 days194 days
Summer Humidity69°F69°F
Comfortable Days80 days80 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk23.531.5
Air Quality47 AQI48 AQI
School Quality45.445.4
Violent Crime592/100k1734/100k
Property Crime1148/100k3493/100k
Community
Population65,54131,684
Median Age35.937.3
Racial Diversity0.500.55
Male/Female Ratio0.960.92
Political LeaningD+27D+27
White (%)66.3%58.4%
Black (%)7.7%24.1%
Hispanic (%)6.4%11.1%
Asian (%)14.8%1.6%
Other / Multiracial (%)4.7%4.8%
Getting Around
Commute Time24 min28 min
Walkability9.5/209.6/20
Airport Distance12 mi17 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access96.5%93.3%
Amenities Nearby22.7336.30
Park & Nature AccessExcellentModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Apex or Garner more affordable?
Garner has the lower cost of living: its index is $64k, compared with Apex's $64k and Garner's $64k. Median rent is $2k in Apex versus $1k in Garner.
Is Apex or Garner safer?
Apex has the lower violent crime rate. Apex reports 592/100k and Garner reports 1734/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Apex or Garner?
The median home value is $458k in Apex and $289k in Garner, so homes are more affordable in Garner.
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