City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Clayton, NC

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.

28,043
Residents
$73,348
Median income
$292,400
Median home
$1,750
Median rent (state)

Clayton - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Clayton places in the 54th percentile for household income and the 47th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
64th
percentile, home value
71st
percentile, median rent
47th
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, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 28,043 residents in Clayton, a small city within North Carolina. Clayton households earn a median of $73,348 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.5%. Home values in Clayton run a median of $292,400, and the median resident age is 32.7 years. 35.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 69.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 418 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 29% from five years earlier. Clayton reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1451.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Clayton's yearly average temperature at 60.6°F with 49.9 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,750 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 85.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

28,043 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$73,348 /yr

Poverty 6.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina 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 54% higher than other cities
Home value 64% pricier than other cities
Median rent 71% pricier than other cities
Safety 47% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Clayton ranks #44 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Clayton'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 North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

54thIncome percentile
47thSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 47th 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 45 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+)

$292,400 36th percentile more affordable than 36% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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, NC Clayton, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clayton, NC-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, NC median $73,348/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, NC'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, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.2%

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

Population
28,043
Median Income
$73,348
Median Home Value
$292,400
Median Age
32.7
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Labor force participation
69.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1451.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
168.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1282.8
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
60.6°F
Annual Precipitation
49.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
26,000 residents28,000 residents30,000 residents32,000 residents34,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 26,688 residents 32,633 residents ▲ +22.3%
Clayton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
418
housing units authorized
Single-Family
418
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
14.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 590
2020 657
2021 513
2022 303
2023 504
2024 418

Permit volume decreased 29% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.2%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
14.6%
Other
0.8%

Based on 14,589 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,750/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Kernersville
27,439 people
Asheboro
27,353 people
Thomasville
27,261 people
Mint Hill
26,954 people
Statesville
29,161 people
Leland
26,307 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clayton's 28,043 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Crestview, FL
28,046 people
Tysons, VA
28,022 people
Ramsey, MN
28,070 people
Old Bridge, NJ
28,015 people
Henderson, KY
27,994 people
Glen Cove, NY
28,101 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clayton's $73,348 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

DeLand, FL
$73,352 median income
North Conway, NH
$73,344 median income
Fayetteville, AL
$73,342 median income
Henniker, NH
$73,339 median income
Montalvin Manor, CA
$73,333 median income
Richvale, CA
$73,333 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clayton, NC 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, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.2% 27.1% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.7% White 60.2% Black or African American 27.1% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.5% Two or more races 6.5% 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 North Carolina 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) 28,043 $73,348
Kernersville 27,439 $69,923
Asheboro 27,353 $48,628
Thomasville 27,261 $58,246
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clayton, NC?

What is the population of Clayton, NC? +

Clayton, NC counts 28,043 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Clayton runs $73,348, 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 North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Clayton, NC safe? +

Clayton has a total crime rate of 1451.1 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, NC? +

Homes in Clayton carry a median value of $292,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Clayton? +

Clayton has an average annual temperature of 60.6°F, 49.9 inches of precipitation. 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 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.