Median Age
43 Years
Largest Age Group
60-69 Years
Approximately 15% of Residents
Under 20
24%
Over 65
20%
Clay
Clay, AL Area Guide
A small Alabama suburb outside of Birmingham
Commuter
•
Convenient
•
Outdoors
•
Affordable
•
Great Schools
•
Family-Friendly
•
A quaint suburb in north-central Alabama, Clay sits just 20 miles northeast of Birmingham. This commuter-friendly small town offers easy access to Interstate 59, and many residents enjoy a short commute into the city for work or play. Locals enjoy Clay’s proximity to major outdoor recreational opportunities at expansive sites like the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, the Talladega National Forest, and the Bankhead National Forest.
Although these vast forests and preserves are a major allure to the area, Clay offers its own neighborhood parks for outdoor recreation as well. Cosby Lake Park features a fishing lake, paved trails, and scenic picnicking spots. Families flock to this suburb for its great public schools like Clay Elementary and its close-knit community. Clay is mainly residential, offering affordable apartments and houses for rent, but there are several small businesses spread throughout town, including restaurants and services.
Demographics
Median Household Income
$95,362
Average: $109,806
Education
1,287
Residents Have a Degree
Job Market
2,996
Workers Employed
Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.
Housing Distribution
Clay has more homeowners than renters.
Renters
11%
Non-Renters
89%
Education Distribution
Review this city's overall education levels.
Bachelor's or Higher
17%
Other Education
83%
Getting Around
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Clay, AL is for everyday living.
Fairly Walkable
Walkability
40
/ 100
Exceptionally Drivable
Drivability
100
/ 100
Somewhat Bikeable
Bikeability
30
/ 100
Scores provided by
Schools
Public
Grades PK-5
632 Students
School data provided by
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Data provided by
GreatSchools.org
© 2026. All rights reserved.
Points of Interest
Shopping Centers
Parks and Recreation
- Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
Commuter Rail
Airports
- Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International
Top Apartments in Clay
Houses for Rent in Clay
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Nearby City Rentals
Nearby House Rentals
Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.
Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.