Clayton and Bastrop receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Clayton
Bastrop
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs70 · Top 22%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs74 · Top 12%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Clayton | Bastrop | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,320 | 11,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,822 | $81,551 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,564 | $41,634 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,746/sq mi | 1,209/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $329,600 | $339,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 | $1,443 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 56.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 35.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 390 | 202 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 18.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | -66.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 33.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Clayton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Bastrop
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Clayton, NC · Bastrop, TX · How this is calculated: methodology