Village · New York
Clayton, New York
Clayton, village, in Jefferson County, New York. Clayton had 1,656 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,705 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,661 (±260). GEOID 3616089.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,656
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,705 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,661 ±260
Median household income
$60,573
±$16,031 (90% margin)
New York: $85,974
Median home value
$231,800
±$21,516 (90% margin)
New York: $423,800
Median gross rent
$1,071
±$270 (90% margin)
New York: $1,621
Where is Clayton and what county is it in?
Clayton is a village in Jefferson County, New York. It covers 1.6 square miles of land, 1,064 residents per square mile in 2020.
Clayton is in the Watertown-Fort Drum, NY metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Clayton lies entirely within the Town of Clayton, a town with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Clayton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,656 people lived in Clayton on July 1, 2025, down 4.9% since 2020, a steeper fall than New York's (−1.0%). The 2020 Census counted 1,705 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,661 (±260).
| Measure | Clayton | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,661 ±260 | 115,040 | no clear change |
| Households | 843 ±141 | 47,606 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.95 ±0.15 | 2.32 | −0.31 |
| Housing units | 1,219 ±177 | 61,862 | no clear change |
Clayton's population since 2000
From 1,821 in 2000 to 1,656 in 2025: down 9.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Clayton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Clayton?
The median resident of Clayton is 45.2 years old; 17.9% are under 18 and 28.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.6%. 4.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Clayton | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.2 ±10.9 | 33.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.9% ±4.6 pts | 24.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.9% ±6.0 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±3.6 pts | 52.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 7.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.9% ±4.2 pts | 80.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.4 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±3.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.3% ±2.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.0% ±2.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 16.0% ±6.4 pts | 12.7% | – |
| With a disability | 15.9% ±5.6 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5% ±2.9 pts | 5.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.6% ±3.2 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 37.4% ±5.7 pts | 26.5% | +12.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 20.0% ±5.7 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 75.2% ±9.2 pts | 80.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.3% ±8.1 pts | 6.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Clayton earn?
Half of Clayton's 843 households earn less than $60,573 a year (±$16,031), against $66,301 in Jefferson County and $85,974 in New York. In 2015-2019 it was $64,867 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Clayton | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,573 ±$16,031 | $66,301 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $94,147 ±$16,457 | $86,210 | – |
| Per capita income | $47,195 ±$7,212 | $36,025 | +$9,304 |
| People below the poverty line | 19.5% ±7.2 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 21.4% ±14.1 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 21.6% ±9.7 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.3% ±3.4 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.4% ±3.6 pts | 90.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Clayton?
Owners occupy 50.2% of Clayton's occupied homes and renters 49.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $231,800 by its owner (±$21,516). The median renter pays $1,071 a month including utilities, and 47.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Clayton | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $231,800 ±$21,516 | $188,200 | +$40,796 |
| Median gross rent | $1,071 ±$270 | $1,213 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.7% ±16.6 pts | 38.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,733 ±$220 | $1,555 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.2% ±8.7 pts | 54.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.8% ±8.7 pts | 45.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,219 ±177 | 61,862 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.5% ±4.1 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 12.8% ±8.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.0% ±7.1 pts | 57.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.0% ±2.7 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.7% ±2.7 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 49.9% ±7.0 pts | 30.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.7% ±5.7 pts | 9.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Clayton work and get to work?
77.2% of Clayton's workers drive alone and 7.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.3 minutes.
| Measure | Clayton | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.4% ±6.8 pts | 64.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±2.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.2% ±9.7 pts | 77.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 11.8% ±8.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.9% ±3.9 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.3 min ±3.1 | 19.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Clayton?
No census tract lies mostly in Clayton; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 602.01Jefferson County | 2,223 | $99,500 |
| Tract 602.02Jefferson County | 1,976 | $59,265 |
| Tract 602.03Jefferson County | 2,151 | $84,375 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Clayton) · Census block assignment files
How does Clayton compare with other places in New York?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Clayton is the 8,395th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 341st-most populous of 594 in New York.
Clayton ranks 1,376th of 1,623 places in New York with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 341st | 594 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,184th | 1,225 |
| Residents per square mile | 669th | 1,657 |
| Median household income | 1,376th | 1,623 |
| Per capita income | 653rd | 1,653 |
| Median home value | 815th | 1,637 |
| Median gross rent | 820th | 1,515 |
| Poverty rate | 177th | 1,331 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 640th | 1,640 |
| Median age | 628th | 1,654 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,537th | 1,639 |
| Work from home | 1,119th | 1,350 |
| Travel time to work | 1,166th | 1,652 |
Clayton's figures with every place in New York (CSV)
Every place in New York, sortable · Compare Clayton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Clayton?
18 of the 57 figures for Clayton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Clayton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Clayton.