Clayton County, Georgia Demographics 2026

Name: Clayton County, Georgia Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Clayton County, Georgia has a population of 298,924, the 6th most populous county in Georgia. The median household income is $59,806 and the median home value is $222,300. The poverty rate is 17.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Clayton County Quick Facts

Population 298,924

Median Household Income $59,806

Median Home Value $222,300

Poverty Rate 17.9%

Unemployment Rate 7.2%

Median Age 33.7 years

Homeownership Rate 54.5%

Affordability Ratio 3.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.5%

High School Graduation 85.5%

Cities/Places 9

Population 298,924 6th of 159

Median Income $59,806 23% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.9%

Unemployment 7.2%

How Clayton County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	298,771	298,924	+0.1%
Median household income	$58,507	$59,806	+2.2%
Median home value	$194,500	$222,300	+14.3%

Median Household Income

Clayton

$59,806

$77,353

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Clayton

$222,300

$303,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.9%

$25K-$50K 23.5%

$50K-$100K 33.5%

$100K+ 25.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.6%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

2.8%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

4.6%

$35K-$40K

4.8%

$40K-$45K

5.3%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

8.7%

$60K-$75K

10.5%

$75K-$100K

14.3%

$100K-$125K

9.5%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

5.5%

$200K+

4.0%

Employment

7.2% Unemployment Rate State: 5.1%|National: 5.2%

66.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 54.5%

Renter 45.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,433/mo 28.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

26.8%

18-34

25.3%

35-54

25.7%

55-74

18.9%

75+

3.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Clayton County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Forest Park	19,504	$41,211	20.3%	$143,400
Riverdale	14,792	$63,455	12.4%	$178,800
Lovejoy	11,508	$71,612	9.2%	$265,100
Irondale	9,185	$55,030	19.2%	$204,500
Morrow	6,364	$73,693	19.1%	$224,700
Jonesboro	6,143	$50,843	35.3%	$188,300
Conley	5,822	$44,056	35.9%	$183,000
Bonanza	3,279	$60,260	11.7%	$204,200
Lake City	2,909	$54,464	19.1%	$192,500

Explore Georgia Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Clayton County is located in Georgia with a total population of 298,924. It is the 6th most populous county out of 159 in Georgia. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clayton County is 33.7 years. This is 10% lower than the state median of 37.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clayton County is $59,806. This is 23% lower than the state median of $77,353. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.9%. This is 34% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.4%. The unemployment rate is 7.2%. This is 40% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $222,300. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $303,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 54.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% lower than the state average of 65.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Clayton County is Black or African American, making up 68.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 14.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (7.8%) is well below the state average of 49.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (68.5% vs 30.7%).

Education

22.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 36% lower than the state rate of 34.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Clayton County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Georgia and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Clayton County, Georgia?

Clayton County has a population of 298,924, making it the 6th most populous county in Georgia.

What is the median income in Clayton County?

The median household income in Clayton County is $59,806 with a poverty rate of 17.9%.

How many cities are in Clayton County, Georgia?

Clayton County contains 9 Census-designated places.