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Living in
Clayton.
About
Life in Clayton
Clayton feels like a classic suburban growth story—it's nearly doubled in size over the past 15 years, and that's visible in the development patterns and younger median age (34.7 years). The draw is obvious: you're close enough to Raleigh for work in the Triangle, but far enough out that housing is more affordable than the city proper, with median home values around $329,600 and rents averaging $1,661 a month. That said, you'll be car-dependent here; the 32-minute average commute is real, and the bypass highways are essential infrastructure, not optional.
Clayton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Foreign-Born
8.0%
Broadband Internet
92.5%
of households
Population Growth
+24.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.0% foreign-born, most often from Ukraine
Who lives in Clayton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Clayton, the largest foreign-born group is from Ukraine (13.0%), and 10.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.2%
of residents
65 and Older
10.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.0%
of households
Married Couples
45.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.60
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 35% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Clayton
In Clayton, rent runs 35% above the NC average, and home values are 14% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,597
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2006
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $360,830 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below NC average
Unemployment in Clayton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Clayton is 0.5 percentage points lower than the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Clayton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Raleigh, NC metro area
Commute31.1 min avg
How Clayton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Clayton, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 143 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 64% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Clayton runs 64% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
117.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,074.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Clayton Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
85.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Johnston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Johnston County, which includes Clayton, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $116,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $57,000 |
| 2023 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $232,500 |
| 2022 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $177,500 |
| 2020 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.7M |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26.1M |
| 2018 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Johnston County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Johnston County, which includes Clayton, is typically good — 283 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
283
per year
Moderate Days
82
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Johnston County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 31°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Clayton has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and cold winters (avg low 31°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/67°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/31°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.1"
Annual Snowfall
3.2"
Hot Days/Year
41
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
77
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
115
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 30°F | 4.28" |
| Feb | 56°F | 31°F | 3.07" |
| Mar | 63°F | 37°F | 4.10" |
| Apr | 73°F | 46°F | 3.64" |
| May | 79°F | 56°F | 4.06" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.21" |
| Jul | 89°F | 69°F | 6.14" |
| Aug | 87°F | 68°F | 5.86" |
| Sep | 82°F | 62°F | 5.89" |
| Oct | 73°F | 49°F | 3.47" |
| Nov | 63°F | 38°F | 3.59" |
| Dec | 55°F | 32°F | 3.82" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Clayton
Uninsured
8.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Clayton's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Holly Hill Mental Health Services
Psychiatric · 11.6 mi away · Raleigh
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.9 mi away · Raleigh
Johnston Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.1 mi away · Smithfield
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Clayton
Clayton's student/teacher ratio is 16.3:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 40.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Clayton (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 3,453 students · in-state tuition $2,756 · 40% graduate · median earnings $41,366 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 875 students · in-state tuition $19,278 · 22% graduate · median earnings $38,822 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 666 students · in-state tuition $35,180 · 52% graduate · median earnings $47,869 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 85 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Clayton
Clayton has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (85 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
85 mi awayMoores Creek National Battlefield
National Battlefield
85 mi awayPublic Libraries in Clayton
Hocutt Ellington Memorial Library
100 S Church St, Clayton
Cities Near Clayton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Clayton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Clayton FAQ
Is Clayton, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Clayton's median rent is $1,661/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $78,822/year. Median home value is $329,600.
Is Clayton, North Carolina safe?⌄
Clayton's violent crime rate was 118 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1074 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Clayton, North Carolina?⌄
Clayton has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Clayton, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Clayton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,661/month and median household income is $78,822/year. The median home value is $329,600. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Clayton, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Clayton is 31 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from