Wake Forest receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clayton
Wake Forest
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs90 · Top 1%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
42 · Bottom 38%
vs76 · Top 19%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Clayton | Wake Forest | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,320 | 52,844 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,822 | $123,802 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,564 | $51,709 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,746/sq mi | 2,659/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $329,600 | $474,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 | $1,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 74.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 59.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 390 | 911 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 17.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | 11.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.1" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 33.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.16 | 16.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.1% | 58.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.4% | 67.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 83.5% | 32.2% | 2024-25 school 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.
Wake Forest
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Clayton
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Wake Forest
81
Your Score
81
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Clayton, NC · Wake Forest, NC · How this is calculated: methodology