Clayton is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, home to about 29,320 people across 15 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 27520 and 27527.
Homes sold for a median of $183 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Clayton; also Wilson's Mills
Mostly Clayton; also Archer Lodge and Wilson's Mills
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Clayton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Clayton’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)26 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Raleigh, NC18 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA351 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Clayton; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Clayton had 26,307 residents in the 2020 census, up 277% since 2000.
It’s the 39th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Johnston County grew from 32,250 residents in 1900 to 215,999 in 2020.
Johnston County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 90°F in summer, and winter lows average 31°F. About 49.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Clayton 3e, NC weather station (2 miles away).
49,067 jobs at 4,151 businesses in Johnston County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
550 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Clayton’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 39 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 31 |
| Dentists | 43 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 138 |
| Mental health providers | 176 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 94 |
| Optometrists | 10 |
| Chiropractors | 19 |
| Pharmacies | 16 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (8 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1869.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Johnston County Public Schools, American Leadership Academy - Johnston, Johnston Charter Academy. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland ElementaryClayton | Pre-K–5 | 851 | Public | 7.8 mi |
| Cooper AcademyClayton | Pre-K–5 | 447 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| East Clayton ElementaryClayton | Pre-K–5 | 524 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Powhatan ElementaryClayton | Pre-K–5 | 656 | Public | 2.3 mi |
| River Dell ElementaryClayton | Pre-K–5 | 981 | Public | 4.6 mi |
| Riverwood ElementaryClayton | Pre-K–5 | 728 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| West Clayton ElementaryClayton | Pre-K–5 | 742 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| American Leadership Academy - JohnstonClayton | K–12 | 2,082 | Charter | 6.0 mi |
| Johnston Charter AcademyClayton | K–8 | 677 | Charter | 3.9 mi |
| Clayton MiddleClayton | 6–8 | 609 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| Riverwood MiddleClayton | 6–8 | 902 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Swift Creek MiddleClayton | 6–8 | 691 | Public | 5.3 mi |
| Clayton HighClayton | 9–12 | 1,929 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Cleveland HighClayton | 9–12 | 1,889 | Public | 7.4 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids R KidsClayton | Pre-K–K | 22 | Nonsectarian | 3.8 mi |
| Southside Christian SchoolClayton | Pre-K–12 | 388 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.8 mi |
| Southside Christian SchoolClayton | Pre-K–12 | 383 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.8 mi |
| Thales Academy at Flowers PlantationClayton | Pre-K–8 | 452 | Nonsectarian | 5.1 mi |
| Academy of HopeClayton | 6–12 | 8 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 3.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Archer Lodge and Wilson's Mills.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.