The Town FilesClayton, California
City in Contra Costa County · population 11,070 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,055,200
- Household income
- $175,707
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 43.8
Clayton is a city of 11,070 people in Contra Costa County, California. The median home is worth $1,055,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 96% of California towns, better for first-time buyers than 96% of California towns, more upscale than 87% of California towns.
How Clayton ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clayton is worth $1,055,200, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.0 times the median household income of $175,707, which is more affordable than 58% of California towns. Median rent is $3,501 a month. 89.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clayton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,055,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $3,501 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $175,707 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.2% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Clayton
| People | Clayton | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.1% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.4% | — |
| Work from home | 21.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Clayton
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 41.7°F. About 26.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clayton since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on January 23, 2010 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 23, 2010.
Severe weather in Contra Costa County since 1996
Contra Costa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| April 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County had 373,992 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,234 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Clayton itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Clayton
2 public schools with 1,240 students, about 26.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Diablo Elementary | K-5 | 738 | 29.5 |
| Diablo View Middle | 6-8 | 502 | 22.8 |
Towns near Clayton
- Concord, CA4.5 mi · 125,410 people · home $797,600
- Pittsburg, CA5.6 mi · 76,416 people · home $597,900
- Walnut Creek, CA6.6 mi · 70,127 people · home $1,057,300
- Bay Point, CA6.6 mi · 23,896 people · home $525,000
- Contra Costa Centre, CA6.8 mi · 6,808 people · home $733,300
- San Miguel, CA6.9 mi · 3,591 people · home $1,649,100
- Alamo, CA7.5 mi · 15,314 people · home $2,000,001
- Antioch, CA7.8 mi · 115,291 people · home $629,700
Clayton questions
Is Clayton, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clayton scores better for retirees than 61% of California towns and quieter than 58%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Clayton?
The median owner-occupied home in Clayton is valued at $1,055,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $175,707, so homes cost about 6.0 times income. Median rent is $3,501 a month.
What is the weather like in Clayton?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 41.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Clayton get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clayton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on January 23, 2010. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)