Clayton County, Georgia: commercial real estate data.
Clayton County, Georgia has a population of 298,924 across 142 square miles, down 0.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $26.28 bn in 2024, 4,115 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 200 7(a) approvals worth $165.7 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Clayton County
How many people live in Clayton County
- Population298,924
- Households105,941
- Average household size2.82
- Median household income$59,806
- Median age33.7
- Median gross rent$1,433 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$222,300
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income28.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over189,995
- Population under 1880,080
- Share under 1826.8 percent
- Population 65 and over32,022
- Share 65 and over10.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64186,822
- Civilian labor force151,925
- Unemployment rate7.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over69.4 percent
- Rank by population among Georgia counties6th of 159
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents244th
Clayton County is the 6th largest of 159 Georgia counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.8 percent against 10.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Clayton County
Is Clayton County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.56 percent
- Census 2020 base population299,394
- Births, 20243,273
- Deaths, 20242,019
- Natural change, 20241,254
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4,723
- Net international migration, 20241,809
- Total net migration, 2024-2,914
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-11,919
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2037th
The county has lost 0.56 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 but more people left than arrived, so the population is being sustained internally rather than attracting.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Clayton County
Where people moving to Clayton County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving12,166
- People arriving, from those returns22,542
- Adjusted gross income arriving$438.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$36,001
- Largest single originClayton County Non-migrants (98,123 households)
- Largest single destination (98,123 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton County Non-migrants | 98,123 | 191,485 | $4.11 bn |
| Fulton County | 3,084 | 5,948 | $92.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,057 | 3,634 | $113.6 m |
| DeKalb County | 1,466 | 2,809 | $44.4 m |
| Henry County | 1,367 | 2,550 | $54.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 1,145 | 2,048 | $81.4 m |
| Cobb County | 421 | 741 | $13.7 m |
| Gwinnett County | 411 | 783 | $13.4 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Clayton County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Clayton County
What the Clayton County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$26.28 bn
- County GDP, 2023$26.05 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.9 percent
- GDP change over five years75.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among Georgia counties6th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents216th
- GDP per resident$87,920
Output grew 0.9 percent in the latest year and 75.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Clayton County
Who employs people in Clayton County
- Covered employment, annual average130,345
- Establishments reporting5,233
- Average annual pay$77,005
- Average weekly wage$1,481
- Sector 48-49, employment52,730
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$109,612
- Sector 44-45, employment11,390
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$39,058
- Sector 72, employment10,428
- Sector 72, average annual pay$28,018
- Sector 62, employment8,240
- Sector 62, average annual pay$57,111
- Sector 56, employment7,226
- Sector 42, employment5,429
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 48-49 | 52,730 | 518 | $109,612 |
| Sector 44-45 | 11,390 | 818 | $39,058 |
| Sector 72 | 10,428 | 513 | $28,018 |
| Sector 62 | 8,240 | 540 | $57,111 |
| Sector 56 | 7,226 | 338 | $40,981 |
| Sector 42 | 5,429 | 259 | $76,466 |
| Sector 31-33 | 5,408 | 130 | $68,521 |
| Sector 81 | 2,154 | 354 | $47,881 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 52,730 jobs, 40.5 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Clayton County
What businesses operate in Clayton County
- Establishments, all industries4,115
- Employment at those establishments80,953
- Annual payroll$3.95 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Clayton County
What is being built in Clayton County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024930
- Declared construction value permitted$195.4 m
- Single family units authorised400
- Multifamily units authorised530
- Multifamily share of units57.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$210,066
- Units authorised per 1,000 households8.8
Multifamily is 57.0 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Clayton County
How much SBA lending happens in Clayton County
- 7(a) approvals recorded200
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$165.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$828,559
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$30,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,432,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,064
- Jobs per approval10.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active62
- Distinct industries receiving approvals85
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer35.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms71
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter120
- Franchise loans25
- Franchise share of approvals12.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countChild Day Care Services (17)
- Most active lenderMetro City Bank (17)
- 504 approvals recorded40
- 504 gross approval dollars$39.4 m
- Average 504 approval$985,825
- Median 504 approval$682,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval16.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.4
- Most active CDCFlorida Business Development Corporation (9)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals83.3 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$205.1 m
The average approval of $828,559 sits well above the median of $350,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. 35.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clayton County
Do SBA loans in Clayton County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded32
- Paid in full26
- Charged off6
- Charge off rate on resolved loans18.8 percent
- Status: Paid in full26
- Status: Cancelled39
- Status: Exempt from disclosure125
- Status: Charged off6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Of the 32 loans that have reached a final outcome, 18.8 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clayton County
Which parts of Clayton County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending16
- JONESBORO, approvals57
- Riverdale, approvals47
- MORROW, approvals29
- Forest Park, approvals17
- ATLANTA, approvals11
- Hampton, approvals11
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| JONESBORO | 57 | $42,746,500 |
| Riverdale | 47 | $41,652,400 |
| MORROW | 29 | $25,830,700 |
| Forest Park | 17 | $12,356,800 |
| ATLANTA | 11 | $9,353,900 |
| Hampton | 11 | $7,556,800 |
| ELLENWOOD | 9 | $6,551,500 |
| REX | 5 | $525,000 |
JONESBORO accounts for 57 approvals against 47 in Riverdale. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Clayton County
How big is Clayton County
- Land area142 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Georgia counties157th of 159
- Width, east to west10.2 mi
- Height, north to south20.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land2,105
- Establishments per square mile28.98
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Clayton County
What hazards affect Clayton County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class4
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Clayton County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Clayton County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population298,924
- Households105,941
- Average household size2.82
- Median household income$59,806
- Median age33.7
Common questions
Clayton County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Clayton County, Georgia?
298,924, in 105,941 households, ranking 6th of 159 Georgia counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Clayton County growing?
The population has fallen 0.56 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 3,273 births against 2,019 deaths, with net migration of -2,914. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Clayton County?
$59,806. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $222,300, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,433 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Clayton County?
4,115 establishments, employing 80,953 people with an annual payroll of $3.95 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Clayton County?
Average annual pay is $77,005, or $1,481 a week, across 130,345 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Clayton County?
200 7(a) approvals totalling $165.7 m since FY2020, across 62 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 40 504 approvals worth $39.4 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Clayton County get paid back?
Of the 32 loans that have reached a final outcome, 26 were paid in full and 6 charged off, a charge off rate of 18.8 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Clayton County?
930 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $195.4 m. Multifamily was 57.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Clayton County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Clayton County come from?
The largest single origin is Clayton County Non-migrants, with 98,123 households. Arriving households report an average income of $36,001 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Clayton County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Clayton County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.