Village · Wisconsin
Clayton, Wisconsin
Clayton, village, in Polk County, Wisconsin. Clayton had 546 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 550 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 370 (±87). GEOID 5515100.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
546
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 550 · ACS 2020-2024: 370 ±87
Median household income
$58,750
±$25,452 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$135,700
±$45,715 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$817
±$151 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Clayton and what county is it in?
Clayton is a village in Polk County, Wisconsin. It covers 3.2 square miles of land, 171 residents per square mile in 2020.
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 546 people lived in Clayton on July 1, 2025, down 0.9% since 2020, while Wisconsin grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 550 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 370 (±87).
| Measure | Clayton | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 370 ±87 | 45,555 | no clear change |
| Households | 162 ±32 | 19,542 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.28 ±0.30 | 2.31 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 168 ±32 | 24,558 | no clear change |
Clayton's population since 2000
From 507 in 2000 to 546 in 2025: up 7.7%. 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 38.8 years old; 24.3% are under 18 and 11.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.8%.
| Measure | Clayton | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 ±6.9 | 46.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.3% ±7.8 pts | 19.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.4% ±5.0 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Male | 54.3% ±6.7 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7% ±2.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.2% ±5.8 pts | 93.0% | −9.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.8% ±4.9 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.4% ±4.5 pts | 7.8% | – |
| With a disability | 13.2% ±5.1 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.8% ±3.8 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.3% ±5.6 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 10.6% ±5.2 pts | 24.3% | −9.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.3% ±2.6 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.3% ±6.3 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 162 households earn less than $58,750 a year (±$25,452), against $77,219 in Polk County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $52,304 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Clayton | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,750 ±$25,452 | $77,219 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,160 ±$11,035 | $94,913 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,768 ±$4,756 | $41,288 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.2% ±7.9 pts | 8.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.7% ±14.7 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.7% ±11.3 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.1% ±5.4 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.1% ±5.4 pts | 88.3% | – |
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 65.4% of Clayton's occupied homes and renters 34.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $135,700 by its owner (±$45,715). The median renter pays $817 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Clayton | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $135,700 ±$45,715 | $271,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $817 ±$151 | $957 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.7% ±24.3 pts | 28.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,426 ±$128 | $1,604 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.4% ±11.1 pts | 81.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.6% ±11.1 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Housing units | 168 ±32 | 24,558 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±19.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.7% ±14.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.5% ±10.3 pts | 81.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 14.3% ±6.8 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±12.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±12.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.5% ±6.3 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.5% ±3.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
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 many new homes is Clayton building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Clayton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Clayton work and get to work?
84.2% of Clayton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 28.3 minutes.
| Measure | Clayton | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 78.5% ±6.5 pts | 61.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±9.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 84.2% ±9.9 pts | 77.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.8% ±9.9 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±10.2 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.3 min ±6.2 | 29.8 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; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9611Polk County | 3,854 | $81,029 |
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 Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Clayton is the 12,834th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 464th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Clayton is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 464th | 608 |
Clayton's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, 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?
24 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.