Benson vs Clayton
Benson, North Carolina versus Clayton, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Benson and Clayton score about the same overall (44 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Benson | Clayton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $54k |
| Home Value | $145k | $260k |
| Monthly Rent | $918 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $725 | $6k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.20% | 0.97% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.92% | 10.33% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 1.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4 in | 52.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.1 in | 3.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 194 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 79 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.3 | 48.8 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 31.8 | 31.8 |
| Violent Crime | 3533/100k | 673/100k |
| Property Crime | 4333/100k | 1232/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 4,004 | 26,837 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 32.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.63 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.73 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+25 | R+25 |
| White (%) | 38.4% | 58.0% |
| Black (%) | 39.6% | 23.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 21.8% | 13.8% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.2% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 7.2/20 | 6.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 36 mi | 24 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 76.2% | 86.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 67.43 | 33.54 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Benson or Clayton more affordable?
- Clayton has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Benson's $54k and Clayton's $54k. Median rent is $918 in Benson versus $1k in Clayton.
- Is Benson or Clayton safer?
- Clayton has the lower violent crime rate. Benson reports 3533/100k and Clayton reports 673/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Benson or Clayton?
- The median home value is $145k in Benson and $260k in Clayton, so homes are more affordable in Benson.