Clayton County vs DeKalb County
Clayton County, Georgia versus DeKalb County, Georgia: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Clayton County and DeKalb County score about the same overall (39 vs 37 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Clayton County | DeKalb County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $76k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $63k |
| Home Value | $167k | $301k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $55k | $165k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.91% | 0.95% |
| Income Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.38% | 7.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.65% | 11.69% |
| Unemployment | 6.8% | 6.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2 in | 53.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 202 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.7 | 94.3 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 37.9 | 56.5 |
| Violent Crime | 767/100k | 2830/100k |
| Property Crime | 1017/100k | 3403/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 296,312 | 761,209 |
| Median Age | 33.0 | 36.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.61 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.88 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+72 | D+68 |
| White (%) | 8.6% | 29.0% |
| Black (%) | 69.0% | 52.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 13.4% | 8.5% |
| Asian (%) | 5.1% | 6.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 8.7/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 17 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.5% | 90.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 3.17 | 2.44 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Clayton County or DeKalb County more affordable?
- Clayton County has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Clayton County's $57k and DeKalb County's $63k. Median rent is $1k in Clayton County versus $1k in DeKalb County.
- Is Clayton County or DeKalb County safer?
- Clayton County has the lower violent crime rate. Clayton County reports 767/100k and DeKalb County reports 2830/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Clayton County or DeKalb County?
- The median home value is $167k in Clayton County and $301k in DeKalb County, so homes are more affordable in Clayton County.