Population 12,633 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Clay
Household size in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.95 | 2.51 | 2.68 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.50 | 2.72 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.46 | 2.69 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.34 | 2.65 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.28 | −0.17 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.68 people per household, Clay sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the Syracuse area overall, where it has 2.34 people. Household size has dropped from 2.95 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 38.9 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.1 | 39.7 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 40.7 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 41.4 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +2.5 | +2.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Clay are younger than 39.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in the wider Syracuse area, where the median age is 41.4. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.9, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 12.1% | 13.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.2% of households in Clay, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Clay
Renters in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 31.6% | 44.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 32.9% | 46.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 31.6% | 45.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Clay is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 32.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 5.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 11.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 11.4% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 13.0% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −1.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.3% of homes in Clay are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only ten have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1962 | 1956 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1963 | 1957 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1964 | 1958 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1967 | 1961 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Clay is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north. Of the 488 New York cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $926 | $748 | $1,095 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $927 | $794 | $1,201 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,436 | $911 | $1,426 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,487 | $1,138 | $1,794 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$561 | +$390 | +$698 | +$606 |
Rent in Clay runs $1,487 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the Syracuse area as a whole ($1,138). Rent has climbed $561 a month since 2006–10, up 61%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 36.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Clay
Bachelor's degrees in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 28.7% | 31.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.5% | 30.7% | 33.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 31.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.3% | 35.8% | 39.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.4 pts | +7.2 pts | +8.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Clay (39.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 12.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.6% | 88.6% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.9% | 89.1% | 84.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 90.3% | 86.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 91.3% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +2.7 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Clay is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Clay
| Period | Clay | Syracuse area | New York | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 7.3% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.5% | 9.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Clay is close to the national rate: 5.3% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Clay compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay | 2.68 | 39.6 | 7.2% | 13.5% | 2.3% | 1991 | $1,487 | 39.3% | 93.7% | 5.3% |
| North Syracuse | 2.38 | 39.7 | 9.8% | 32.8% | 3.9% | 1958 | $941 | 21.8% | 90.7% | 3.3% |
| Liverpool | 2.22 | 41.6 | 9.0% | 36.8% | 3.9% | 1976 | $1,357 | 41.1% | 94.0% | 3.9% |
| Brewerton | 2.49 | 44.5 | 12.3% | 23.6% | 8.3% | 1987 | $1,114 | 36.4% | 93.2% | 5.6% |
| Cicero | 2.48 | 42.9 | 8.5% | 15.7% | 6.4% | 1986 | $1,196 | 39.6% | 96.9% | 3.2% |
| Mattydale | 2.43 | 41.7 | 12.4% | 19.6% | 3.6% | 1952 | $1,195 | 20.0% | 93.0% | 5.5% |
| Lyncourt | 2.33 | 42.1 | 12.1% | 25.8% | 7.5% | 1956 | $1,110 | 19.3% | 87.9% | 8.1% |
| Pennellville | 2.09 | 50.0 | 9.9% | 8.0% | 7.6% | 1975 | $1,237 | 27.6% | 94.3% | 4.5% |
| Three Rivers | 2.01 | 47.6 | 10.6% | 43.6% | 1.3% | 1989 | $1,190 | 44.0% | 98.3% | 2.6% |
| Sand Ridge | 2.32 | 46.8 | 12.4% | 13.3% | 8.8% | 1985 | $1,261 | 31.2% | 95.1% | 6.5% |
| Baldwinsville | 2.40 | 42.2 | 8.2% | 28.8% | 3.9% | 1983 | $1,228 | 46.2% | 95.1% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Frostburg, MD · Summit, IL · Swanton, OH · Sweetwater, TX · Thurmont, MD · Tillamook, OR · Totowa, NJ · Fultondale, AL · Tremonton, UT · Frostproof, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Clay. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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