Clayton, Michigan Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 247, Clayton's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Clayton is a small community located in Michigan, within Lenawee County. The total population is 247. It ranks as the 656th most populous out of 745 Census-designated places in Michigan.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clayton is 40.1 years. This is about the same as the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clayton is $66,250. This is 9% lower than the state median of $72,875. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.1%. This is 59% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 9.5%. This is 67% higher than the state rate of 5.7%. The median home value is $86,700. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $231,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Clayton is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 73.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Clayton is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.5%.

Education

4.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 85% lower than the state rate of 32.5%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Clayton, Michigan is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Michigan state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 745 Census-designated places in Michigan. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.