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Buying a home in Clayton, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Clayton is worth about $1,055,200, 44% above the California median of $734,700 and 3.2 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $8,694 a year in property taxes, about 0.82% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $175,707 a year, so the median home costs 6.0 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 89% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 76% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Clayton at a glance

Clayton California U.S.
Median home value $1,055,200 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $8,694 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.82% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $175,707 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 89% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 76% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $3,693 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 25.7% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $3,501 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.0% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1983 1976 1980
Vacant homes 0.2% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 10,937 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Clayton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Clayton home of $1,055,200 with 20% down costs about $6,839 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $8,767, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $293,119 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 47% of the median Clayton household income of $175,707; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $633,000.

The median rent here is $3,501 a month, so owning the median home costs about $3,338 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$211,040
Loan amount$844,160
Principal and interest$5,679
Property taxes (0.82% a year)$721
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$440
PMI$0
Total per month$6,839

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$36,932
Loan amount$1,036,088
Principal and interest$6,970
Property taxes (0.82% a year)$721
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$440
FHA mortgage insurance$636
Total per month$8,767

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Questions about home buying in Clayton

What is the median home value in Clayton?

About $1,055,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Clayton?

Homeowners pay a median $8,694 a year, which is about 0.82% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Clayton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $6,839 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $293,119 a year.

More about Clayton

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data