Clayton County, Georgia Income Statistics
Clayton County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Clayton County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clayton County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,849 | $77,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,580 | $55,999 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.0% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clayton County is about 23% lower than in Georgia. Income has been growing slower in Clayton County (4.3%/yr) than in Georgia (5.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Clayton County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Georgia average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clayton County, Georgia grew by 35.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,849 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clayton County
| Metric | Clayton County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.544 | 0.561 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,258 | $65,087 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,176 | $53,213 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.3% | 18.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Clayton County, it is 0.544, lower than Georgia's 0.561, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in Clayton County, Georgia. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $212,870 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clayton County, Georgia has widened from about 10% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 13% in 2023, and was narrowest at 3% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,361 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Clayton County widened by 2.3 points while Georgia's narrowed by 2.7 points.
Employment
| Metric | Clayton County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.6% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 10,935 people are unemployed in Clayton County, Georgia.
The average commute time in Clayton County is 30 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Georgia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clayton County, Georgia has fallen from 14.3% to 7.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.7% in 2023.
Clayton County, GA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clayton County, GA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 298,922 residents against a local median of 249,959. Where Clayton County, GA breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 30% below the local median of $84,927 at $59,849. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.3%/yr against a local median of 5.4%/yr, 20% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Clayton County, GA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread $50,840 on median household income, so Clayton County, GA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clayton County, GA has the 6th highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton County, GA | 298,922 | $59,849 #6/6 | 4.3%/yr #4/6 | 7.2% #5/6 | 0.544 #4/6 |
| Fayette County, GA | 122,264 | $112,731 | 3.9%/yr | 3.8% | 0.548 |
| Henry County, GA | 249,959 | $84,927 | 3.9%/yr | 6.2% | 0.536 |
| DeKalb County, GA | 765,300 | $81,234 | 5.4%/yr | 6.4% | 0.554 |
| Fulton County, GA | 1,076,535 | $95,452 | 6.2%/yr | 5.3% | 0.543 |
| Spalding County, GA | 68,892 | $61,891 | 5.4%/yr | 7.3% | 0.541 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clayton County, Georgia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Georgia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clayton County, Georgia.
How Rich Is Clayton County, Georgia?
Clayton County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $59,849, about 23% lower than the Georgia average of $77,523.
How has median household income changed in Clayton County, Georgia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clayton County, Georgia rose 35%, from $44,321 to $59,849. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Georgia as a whole: +35% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Clayton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clayton County, Georgia was $58,686, up 4% from $56,451 in 2022. The Georgia median that year was $74,682.
What was the median household income in Clayton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clayton County, Georgia was $49,398. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $59,849.
How strong is the job market in Clayton County, Georgia?
Unemployment in Clayton County, Georgia is 7.2%, well above the Georgia rate of 5.1%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clayton County, Georgia?
The Gini coefficient in Clayton County is 0.544. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Clayton County, Georgia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clayton County, Georgia has widened from about 10% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 13% in 2023, and was narrowest at 3% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,361 since 2009.
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