City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Clay, AL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Clay - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

10,288
Residents
$86,163
Median income
$198,400
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Clay - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Clay places in the 67th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

67th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
42nd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Clay, AL

10,288 people live in Clay, Alabama - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Clay households earn a median of $86,163 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.7%. Clay's housing stock carries a median value of $198,400, and the median resident age is 40.4 years. 23.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 8 residential building permits were authorized in Clay (Construction Slowdown), down 90% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Alabama run below the national norm: the state registers 88.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,266 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Alabama's average monthly utility costs around $245 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 68.5 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

10,288 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$86,163 /yr

Poverty 7.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Clay compare to other US cities?

Where Clay sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 67% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Clay's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alabama, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

67thIncome percentile

67th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Clay's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$198,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Clay $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Clay, AL Clay, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clay, AL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Clay, AL median $86,163/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Clay, AL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Clay, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
10,288
Median Income
$86,163
Median Home Value
$198,400
Median Age
40.4
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Labor force participation
60.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.3%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,150 residents10,200 residents10,250 residents10,300 residents10,350 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,313 residents 10,198 residents ▼ -1.1%
Clay's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
8
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 80
2020 54
2021 57
2022 16
2023 20
2024 8

Permit volume decreased 90% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.6%
Carpool
3.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
9.4%

Based on 4,952 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alabama - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$138
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$245
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alabama state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alabama state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Clay sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
68.5 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Meridianville
10,268 people
Rainbow City
10,213 people
Spanish Fort
10,377 people
Valley
10,406 people
Pike Road
10,103 people
Saks
10,727 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clay's 10,288 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Flowery Branch, GA
10,286 people
Port Townsend, WA
10,290 people
Watervliet, NY
10,285 people
Berwick, PA
10,291 people
East Franklin, NJ
10,281 people
Exeter, CA
10,280 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clay's $86,163 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Gray CDP (Somerset County), PA
$86,164 median income
West Haverstraw, NY
$86,167 median income
Zimmerman, MN
$86,169 median income
Shortsville, NY
$86,154 median income
Howell, UT
$86,176 median income
Rosemont, CA
$86,178 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clay, AL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Clay, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 54.3% 39.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.2% White 54.3% Black or African American 39.4% Asian 2.9% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 2.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Clay compares to nearby Alabama cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Clay (this city) 10,288 $86,163
Meridianville 10,268 $93,030
Rainbow City 10,213 $59,659
Spanish Fort 10,377 $101,574
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clay, AL?

What is the population of Clay, AL? +

Clay, AL counts 10,288 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Clay, AL? +

The median household income in Clay is $86,163 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Clay? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Clay; the closest available measure is the Alabama state average, a cost of living index of 88.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alabama vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Clay, AL? +

Homes in Clay carry a median value of $198,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.