Clayton, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Clayton, NC Summary

Cost of living in Clayton 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 Clayton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, 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 Clayton is 103, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Clayton is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Clayton ranks as the #92 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Clayton ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Clayton is $365,820.

  • The median income in Clayton is $73,348.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
103
Clayton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Clayton, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Clayton has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Clayton has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Clayton ranks as #92 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Clayton ranks as the #65 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Clayton, check out:

92 out of 157
In North Carolina
2,952 out of 6,489
In America

Clayton Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Clayton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Clayton is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Clayton is 99.

  • The Health index in Clayton is 111.

  • The Housing index in Clayton is 110.

  • The Transportation index in Clayton is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Clayton is 97.

Living Expense Clayton North Carolina National Average
Overall 103 92 100
Services 100 100 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 111 106 100
Housing 110 86 100
Transportation 94 93 100
Utilities 97 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Clayton Cost of Living Vs. NC

Clayton, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, 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 Clayton is $365,820.

  • The Median Rent in Clayton is $1,542.

  • The Median Income in Clayton is $73,348.

  • The Home Value To Income in Clayton is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Clayton is 0.25x.

Statistic Clayton North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $365,820 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,542 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $73,348 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.0x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.2x 0.21x
$365,820
Median Home Value
$1,542
Median Rent
$73,348
Median Income

Clayton, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Clayton Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Clayton North Carolina
Shampoo $1.09 $1.28
Movie $10.27 $12.13
Bowling $11.0 $18
Haircut $19.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $29.58 $45.56

Detailed Clayton Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Clayton North Carolina
Ground Beef $5.93 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.57
Milk $4.57 $4.67
Potatoes $5.18 $4.93
Pizza $10.47 $12.09
Beer $10.29 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Clayton Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Clayton North Carolina
Optometrist $141.56 $125.68
Doctor $136.38 $135.78
Dentist $100.17 $113.29

Detailed Clayton Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Clayton North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed Clayton Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Clayton North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

Clayton SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
6
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Clayton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Clayton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 1.1x Clayton.

  • Fuquay-Varina, NC has a cost of living index of 114, 1.1x Clayton.

  • Garner, NC has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Clayton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Clayton
Raleigh, NC 470,763 112 1.1x
Fuquay-Varina, NC 37,749 114 1.1x
Garner, NC 32,543 106 1.0x
Knightdale, NC 19,532 105 1.0x
Smithfield, NC 11,798 92 0.9x
Wendell, NC 11,585 102 1.0x
Zebulon, NC 7,961 92 0.9x
Selma, NC 6,611 86 0.8x
Archer Lodge, NC 5,036 103 1.0x

Articles About North Carolina

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