What are the schools like in Clay, CA?

Clay is served primarily by Arcohe Union Elementary. The district operates 1 elementary schools, several middle schools, and several high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 25.6:1.

What is the median household income in Clay?

The median household income in Clay, CA is $118,000 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 7.7%.

What is the weather like in Clay, CA?

Clay has an average high temperature of 56.7°F in January and 92.4°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 17.8 inches.

Clay, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Clay, CA affordable or expensive?

Clay's cost of living index is 109, where 100 represents the national average. This means Clay is 9% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $743,600 and the median rent is N/A per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Clay, CA?

Clay has a violent crime rate of 518.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1927.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Clay, CA a Good Place to Live?

Clay is a small town of 1,121 in California, with a median household income of $118,000 and a 7.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Clay's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Clay is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Clay city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 108.9

Clay's overall cost of living index is 108.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clay costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric	Clay, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$743,600	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	N/A	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	92.4%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$118,000	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Clay's violent crime rate is 518.1 per 100,000 residents — 36% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

518.1 /100k

Property Crime

1927.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Clay is served primarily by Arcohe Union Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 25.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Clay, CA	National Avg
School District	Arcohe Union Elementary	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	25.6:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	25.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	98.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Clay sees average highs of 56.7°F in January and 92.4°F in July, with 17.8 inches of annual precipitation .

Metric	Clay, CA
Average High — January	56.7°F
Average High — July	92.4°F
Annual Precipitation	17.8"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Clay, CA	National Avg
Population	1,121	—
Median Age	40.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	7.7%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	39.9 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	79.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	10.5%	18.9%
Asian	3.0%	6.3%
Under 18	19.2%	22.2%
65 and over	16.1%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Herald, CA 4 mi Dogtown, CA 7 mi Wilton, CA 7 mi Galt, CA 8 mi Collierville, CA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Clay

Clay, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

95638

Clay vs Other Cities

Clay, CA vs Herald, CA Clay, CA vs Dogtown, CA Clay, CA vs Wilton, CA Clay, CA vs Galt, CA Clay, CA vs Collierville, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clay, CA affordable or expensive?

Clay's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Clay roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $743,600 and median rent is N/A/month.

What is the crime rate in Clay, CA?

Clay's violent crime rate is 518.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1927.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Clay?

Public schools in Clay are operated by Arcohe Union Elementary. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 25.6:1. 25.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Clay, CA a good place to live?

Clay, CA has a population of 1,121, a median household income of $118,000, and an unemployment rate of 7.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Clay?

Clay averages 56.7°F in January and 92.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 17.8 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Clay?

Clay, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 95638.

What is the population of Clay?

The population of Clay, California is 1,121 with a median age of 40.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Clay?

Key numbers for living in Clay: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $743,600, median household income $118,000, crime index 119 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clay side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.