City profile · Alabama · Census ACS 2023

Clayton, AL

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

2,271
Residents
$32,625
Median income
$82,100
Median home
$776
Median rent (state)

Clayton - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Clayton places in the 3rd percentile for household income and the 51st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

3rd
percentile, household income
4th
percentile, home value
0th
percentile, median rent
51st
percentile, safety
📝 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: Clayton, AL

Alabama's Clayton is a small town, with 2,271 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Clayton brings in $32,625 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 16.9%. Typical homes in Clayton are valued around $82,100, and the median resident age is 42.0 years. About 4.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 15.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Clayton reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1319.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 65.3°F with 55.6 inches of precipitation per year and 0.5 inches of snowfall.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $776 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Alabama run around $245, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 48.1 out of 100 (Low).

Population

2,271 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alabama

Median Household Income

$32,625 /yr

Poverty 16.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alabama average

How does Clayton compare to other US cities?

Clayton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 4% pricier than other cities
Median rent 0% pricier than other cities
Safety 51% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Alabama and the picture shifts: Clayton ranks #74 of 222 Alabama cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Clayton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Alabama only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Alabama-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Clayton near the bottom of Alabama's cities

Among the 556 Alabama cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Clayton ranks #416 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Clayton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#479 of 530
10th percentile in Alabama
Median Gross Rent
#416 of 556
0th percentile in Alabama
Median Home Value
#453 of 517
12th percentile in Alabama
Poverty Rate
#167 of 556
70th percentile in Alabama
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#528 of 556
5th percentile in Alabama

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Alabama only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

3rdIncome percentile
51stSafety percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income · 51st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Clayton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Clayton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 51 Avg. percentile National median
Clayton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Clayton's home value compares nationally

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

$82,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 96% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Clayton $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 - Clayton, AL Clayton, AL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clayton, 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 Clayton, AL median $32,625/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%
Clayton, 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 Clayton, AL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 4.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 15.8%

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

Population
2,271
Median Income
$32,625
Median Home Value
$82,100
Median Age
42.0
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Labor force participation
15.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
4.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1319.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
409.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
910.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.3°F
Annual Precipitation
55.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,180 residents2,200 residents2,220 residents2,240 residents2,260 residents2,280 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,261 residents 2,195 residents ▼ -2.9%
Clayton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
91.0%
Carpool
2.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
5.9%

Based on 321 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 Clayton sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$776/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
48.1 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alabama

Coaling
2,253 people
Riverside
2,247 people
Crossville
2,296 people
Westover
2,298 people
Elberta
2,209 people
Aliceville
2,338 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clayton's 2,271 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rio Verde, AZ
2,271 people
Eureka, KS
2,271 people
Trowbridge Park, MI
2,271 people
Pelican Bay, TX
2,271 people
Huntington, UT
2,271 people
Ault, CO
2,270 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clayton's $32,625 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Clio, CA
$32,625 median income
Tallulah, LA
$32,624 median income
Scenic, AZ
$32,629 median income
Buffalo, MO
$32,630 median income
Sunizona, AZ
$32,614 median income
Bullhead, SD
$32,614 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clayton, 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 Clayton, AL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 35.6% 59.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.4% White 35.6% Black or African American 59.5% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Clayton 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
Clayton (this city) 2,271 $32,625
Coaling 2,253 $83,587
Riverside 2,247 $67,750
Crossville 2,296 $48,464
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clayton, AL?

What is the population of Clayton, AL? +

2,271 people live in Clayton, AL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Clayton runs $32,625, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Clayton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Clayton; 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.

Is Clayton, AL safe? +

Clayton has a total crime rate of 1319.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

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

Clayton's median home value sits at $82,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Clayton? +

The average annual temperature in Clayton runs 65.3°F, 55.6 inches of precipitation, and 0.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

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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.