Clay County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Clay County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 91% below the North Carolina median Among the top 3 cheapest counties in North Carolina$23,834
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Median rent 34% below the North Carolina median Cheaper than 74% of counties in North Carolina$804
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Clay County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $23,834 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 27.8% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $804 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.4% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Clay County is about 91% lower than in North Carolina. Rent is about 34% lower than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Clay County, up about 27.8% and 2.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Clay County rose about 23.1% between 2015 and 2024, from $653 to $804. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.4 yearly household incomes in Clay County.
Buying the median-priced home in Clay County costs roughly 2.5 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Clay County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Clay County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $23,834 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $57,775 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.4 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Clay County fell about 29.5%, while median household income rose about 47.9% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Clay County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 55.0% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 12.8% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 32.2% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Clay County has a homeownership rate of 55.0%, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 32.2%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Clay County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.26 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1993 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Clay County was built around 1993. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Clay County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, NC is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 11,613 residents against a local median of 26,304. The measure that sets Clay County, NC apart most is median home price: $23,834, 93% below the local median of $332,246.
The counties themselves spread $163,445 on median home price, so Clay County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, NC has the 4th highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, NC | 11,613 | $23,834 #4/4 | $804 #3/4 | 81.2% #3/4 |
| Towns County, GA | 12,900 | $332,246 | $808 | 82.3% |
| Union County, GA | 26,304 | $336,792 | $807 | 84.4% |
| Macon County, NC | 37,947 | $173,347 | $803 | 77.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Clay County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Clay County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Clay County, North Carolina is $23,834, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Clay County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Clay County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $23,834. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Clay County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Clay County, North Carolina is $804 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Clay County, North Carolina was $682 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Clay County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Clay County, North Carolina is about 2.5, meaning it would take roughly 2.5 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Clay County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Clay County, North Carolina?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Clay County, up about 27.8% and 2.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Clay County, North Carolina?
55.0% of households in Clay County, North Carolina own their home, lower than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Clay County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Clay County, North Carolina is 32.2%, higher than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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