Cost of living in Clay research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Clay is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alabama, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Clay is 96, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Clay is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Clay ranks as the #86 cheapest in Alabama out of 119.
Clay ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Clay is $250,253.
The median income in Clay is $86,163.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Clay has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alabama, Clay has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Alabama's index of 90.
The standard of living in Clay ranks as #86 most affordable out of the 119 places we measured in Alabama. By definition, that implies Clay ranks as the #33 most expensive place in the Heart of Dixie.
For more reading on life in Clay, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Clay. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Clay is 97.
The Groceries index in Clay is 99.
The Health index in Clay is 93.
The Housing index in Clay is 95.
The Transportation index in Clay is 90.
The Utilities index in Clay is 109.
| Living Expense | Clay | Alabama | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 96 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 86 | 100 | |
| Housing | 95 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 109 | 102 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alabama, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Clay is $250,253.
The Median Rent in Clay is $1,373.
The Median Income in Clay is $86,163.
The Home Value To Income in Clay is 2.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Clay is 0.19x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Clay. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Birmingham, AL has a cost of living index of 90, 0.9x Clay.
Vestavia Hills, AL has a cost of living index of 126, 1.3x Clay.
Trussville, AL has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Clay.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Clay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Vestavia Hills, AL | 38,704 | 126 | 1.3x |
| Trussville, AL | 26,182 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Mountain Brook, AL | 22,160 | 161 | 1.7x |
| Center Point, AL | 16,125 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Gardendale, AL | 16,110 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Irondale, AL | 13,462 | 96 | 1.0x |
| Moody, AL | 13,378 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Leeds, AL | 12,221 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Forestdale, AL | 9,149 | 91 | 0.9x |