Provided is a data flow-parallel processing apparatus and method. The data flow-parallel processing apparatus may include a lower layer processing unit to identify a flow of inputted first data, a distribution unit to select, from among a plurality of upper layer processing units, an upper layer processing unit corresponding to the flow, and to transmit the first data to the selected upper layer processing unit, and an upper layer processing unit to process an upper layer packet of the first data, based on a local memory corresponding to the flow from among a plurality of local memories.