Population 72,327 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Clayton
Household size in Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.80 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.91 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.79 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Clayton holds 2.79 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the west. Clayton has larger households than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.5 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.4 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.5 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Clayton is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.5, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Clayton (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Raleigh area as a whole (9.4%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Clayton
Renters in Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.5% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.3% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.3% of households in Clayton rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 24.1% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southeast. The renter share is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.2% of homes in Clayton are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.2 points, as it has nationally. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only 17 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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1996 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1998 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1999 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2005 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Clayton has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 2005, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1996 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only 16 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people 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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $909 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,019 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,165 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,673 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$764 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Clayton pays $1,673 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $764 a month from 2006–10, an 84% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northeast.
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 Clayton
Bachelor's degrees in Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.2% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.1% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Clayton as nationally: 38.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Raleigh area (51.6%). The share with a degree has risen 9.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.0% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Clayton: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.1 points, in line with the national trend. Clayton has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
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 Clayton
| Period | Clayton | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Clayton has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Clayton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton | 2.79 | 36.5 | 11.3% | 24.3% | 5.2% | 2005 | $1,673 | 38.1% | 94.9% | 3.3% |
| Flowers | 3.46 | 34.6 | 2.1% | 8.5% | 4.3% | 2007 | $856 | 29.6% | 95.5% | 1.0% |
| Archer Lodge | 2.77 | 41.1 | 9.8% | 18.9% | 4.4% | 2009 | $1,720 | 42.4% | 96.0% | 3.4% |
| Wilsons Mills | 3.03 | 28.7 | 9.2% | 10.8% | 6.7% | 2006 | $1,973 | 25.6% | 93.3% | 4.7% |
| Coats Crossroads | 2.71 | 39.3 | 5.3% | 12.1% | 11.0% | 2004 | $1,409 | 27.7% | 91.7% | 2.2% |
| Garner | 2.65 | 39.3 | 9.8% | 28.3% | 6.8% | 2000 | $1,593 | 41.9% | 93.3% | 5.3% |
| Smithfield | 2.69 | 41.2 | 8.7% | 27.6% | 8.6% | 1988 | $1,103 | 20.5% | 86.8% | 4.3% |
| Pine Hurst Park | 2.64 | 48.3 | 4.7% | 4.8% | 2.8% | 1988 | $1,567 | 56.5% | 98.7% | 0.5% |
| Selma | 2.79 | 38.1 | 14.6% | 33.2% | 8.6% | 1992 | $998 | 17.8% | 86.0% | 4.6% |
| Knightdale | 2.80 | 35.2 | 15.7% | 28.1% | 5.1% | 2004 | $1,699 | 40.5% | 89.7% | 4.7% |
| Wendell | 2.74 | 38.6 | 8.2% | 19.1% | 6.1% | 2000 | $1,275 | 31.2% | 89.4% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Huntersville, NC · Dundalk, MD · Camden, NJ · Statesville, NC · Leesburg, VA · Lake Elsinore, CA · Eastvale, CA · Ewa Beach, HI · Union City, NJ · Hammond, IN
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 Clayton. 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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