Wendell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Clayton
Wendell
Opportunity
82 · Top 6%
vs84 · Top 4%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
72 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 43%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 45%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 34%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
42 · Bottom 38%
vs34 · Bottom 27%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs83 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Clayton | Wendell | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,320 | 13,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,822 | $95,787 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,564 | $43,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,746/sq mi | 1,387/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $329,600 | $330,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 | $1,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 78.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 390 | 1,079 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 82.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | -22.5% | 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 | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 31.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.0 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.16 | 18.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.1% | 28.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.4% | 44.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 83.5% | 84.8% | 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.
Wendell
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Clayton, NC · Wendell, NC · How this is calculated: methodology