Georgia · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Clayton County, GA

Prices around Clayton County, GA run 0.1% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $59,806 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,820 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $72,800 a year.

Clayton County, GA at a glance

Median household income

$59,806$4,984 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,820HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)100.1+0.1% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity16.4¢per kWh · EIA Residential GA
Population298,924Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Clayton County, GA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,820Monthly market rent
Share of gross income36.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$72,800To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,495At 30% of $59,806
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Clayton County, GA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Clayton County, GA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,585$19,020$63,40031.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,660$19,920$66,40033.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,820$21,840$72,80036.5%
3-Bedroom Home$2,182$26,184$87,28043.8%
4-Bedroom Home$2,605$31,260$104,20052.3%

Rent in Clayton County, GA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Clayton County, GA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $59,806 a year ($4,984 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,492/moRent ($1,820 2-BR), utilities (~$147/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,495/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$997/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $59,806 leaves after Georgia taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Georgia tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$59,806
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$59,806
Net 80%
Fed 8%
GA 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$47,998After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,000Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,846Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,997 / yr
Georgia state income tax$2,236 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,575 / yr

Living in Clayton County, GA: common questions

What is the median household income in Clayton County, GA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Clayton County, GA is $59,806 per year (approximately $4,984 per month).

What is the average rent in Clayton County, GA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,585 for a studio, $1,660 for one bedroom, $1,820 for two, $2,182 for three and $2,605 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Clayton County, GA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 0.1% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 100.1, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Clayton County, GA?

To keep a $1,820 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $72,800 a year, or $6,067 a month. That is 122% of what the typical household in Clayton County, GA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Clayton County, GA?

On the local median income of $59,806 ($4,984 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,492 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,495 for everything else and $997 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,820 takes 73% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Clayton County, GA?

Homes in Georgia paid 16.4¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $147. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.