The county economy from official statistics, with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Clayton County is a county of Georgia with 298,924 residents. Its economy produced $26,282 million in 2024 (ranked #6 of 159 counties) and had 130,345 jobs with an average annual pay of $77,005 (#4 for pay). The unemployment rate was 4.4% in 2026M09. It is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan area (central county).
Clayton County produced about $26,282 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 3.0% of the combined output of the 159 counties of Georgia that BEA reports (about 2.7% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 6th of 159 on that measure. Per resident that is $87,920, 9% above the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $80,574. In current dollars output grew 0.9% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation.
BLS counts 130,345 jobs located in Clayton County on average in 2024, spread over 5,233 employer sites (about 25 jobs per site). That is 0.44 jobs for every resident, above the 0.28 of the typical county in Georgia, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $77,005, 12% above the average of all counties in the state ($77,005 against $68,833). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs fell 0.6% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are transportation and warehousing (47.2% of private jobs, $109,612 a year on average), retail trade (10.2% of private jobs, $39,058 a year on average), accommodation and food services (9.3% of private jobs, $28,018 a year on average). Together they hold 66.7% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is transportation and warehousing at $109,612 a year, followed by wholesale trade ($76,466). The county is specialised in several industries: transportation and warehousing (9.6 times the US share, 52,730 jobs); utilities (1.8 times the US share, 898 jobs). A location quotient above 1 means an industry employs a larger share of workers here than in the whole country, so these are the industries where local employers compete hardest for skills. Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: retail trade ($39,058), accommodation and food services ($28,018), administrative and waste services ($40,981). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Clayton County was 4.4%, 24% above the average of the state's counties (4.4% against 3.5%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 147,754. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 3.7% (2026M04) to 4.7% (2025M11); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $59,806 (ACS 2020–2024), 23% below the state median ($59,806 against $77,353). The guide covers 2 cities with this as the main county: Forest Park, Riverdale. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate. Within the county, median rent runs from $1,189 in Forest Park to $1,360 in Riverdale, so where you live matters as much as which county you pick.
Counties close to Clayton County in output are DeKalb County, Chatham County, Hall County, Richmond County. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 159 counties of Georgia ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 298,924 | 6 of 159 |
| GDP 2024 | $26,282 million | 6 of 159 |
| GDP per resident | $87,920 | 8 of 159 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 130,345 | 6 of 159 |
| Average annual pay | $77,005 | 4 of 159 |
| Job change vs 2023 | -0.6% | 106 of 159 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 4.4% | 137 of 159 |
| Median household income | $59,806 | 69 of 159 |
Federal jobs in Georgia (1,099) →All cities of GeorgiaState guide: Georgia
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Clayton County (and 1 more that extend into it).
| City ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ | Median home value ⇅ | Bachelor's+ ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Park | 19,504 | $41,211 | $1,189 | $143,400 | 12.4% |
| Riverdale | 14,792 | $63,455 | $1,360 | $178,800 | 17.3% |
| College Park | 14,712 | $51,635 | $1,207 | $325,800 | 28.8% |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation and warehousing | 52,730 | 47.2% | $109,612 | 9.55 |
| Retail trade | 11,390 | 10.2% | $39,058 | 0.87 |
| Accommodation and food services | 10,428 | 9.3% | $28,018 | 0.88 |
| Health care and social assistance | 8,240 | 7.4% | $57,111 | 0.44 |
| Administrative and waste services | 7,226 | 6.5% | $40,981 | 0.94 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,429 | 4.9% | $76,466 | 1.06 |
| Manufacturing | 5,408 | 4.8% | $68,521 | 0.51 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,154 | 1.9% | $47,881 | 0.55 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,011 | 1.8% | $64,391 | 0.22 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,829 | 1.6% | $69,409 | 0.90 |
| Educational services | 1,699 | 1.5% | $49,748 | 0.63 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,172 | 1.0% | $59,574 | 0.22 |
| Utilities | 898 | 0.8% | $121,675 | 1.81 |
| Information | 619 | 0.6% | $87,288 | 0.25 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 294 | 0.3% | $22,020 | 0.13 |
| Management of companies | 176 | 0.2% | $148,794 | 0.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 147,754 |
| Employed residents | 141,292 |
| Unemployed residents | 6,462 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 130,345 |
| Employer sites | 5,233 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton County | 1,076,561 | $243,563 million | $226,241 | 948,157 | $100,817 | 3.6% |
| Gwinnett County | 979,864 | $72,408 million | $73,896 | 386,500 | $66,588 | 3.3% |
| Cobb County | 775,208 | $81,869 million | $105,609 | 384,275 | $77,531 | 3.3% |
| DeKalb County | 765,351 | $59,344 million | $77,539 | 310,019 | $76,011 | 3.6% |
| Chatham County | 300,879 | $28,463 million | $94,598 | 170,836 | $61,834 | 3.1% |
| Clayton County | 298,924 | $26,282 million | $87,920 | 130,345 | $77,005 | 4.4% |
| Cherokee County | 281,032 | $13,257 million | $47,171 | 74,280 | $54,283 | 3.0% |
| Forsyth County | 267,287 | $16,277 million | $60,897 | 88,777 | $64,971 | 3.0% |
| Henry County | 249,960 | $11,851 million | $47,413 | 76,873 | $52,361 | 4.0% |
| Hall County | 212,705 | $17,999 million | $84,621 | 101,986 | $63,932 | 3.0% |
| Richmond County | 206,069 | $16,817 million | $81,606 | 104,210 | $58,481 | 4.7% |
| Muscogee County | 203,711 | $13,842 million | $67,950 | 89,176 | $55,578 | 4.4% |
| Paulding County | 178,909 | $5,183 million | $28,968 | 30,033 | $48,705 | 3.4% |
| Houston County | 169,649 | $9,931 million | $58,538 | 65,782 | $57,953 | 3.4% |
| Columbia County | 162,434 | $6,219 million | $38,286 | 39,629 | $49,681 | 3.5% |
| Bibb County | 156,578 | $11,079 million | $70,756 | 78,539 | $55,370 | 4.5% |
| Coweta County | 152,852 | $7,675 million | $50,215 | 48,808 | $54,215 | 3.2% |
| Douglas County | 147,888 | $8,179 million | $55,308 | 51,003 | $57,949 | 3.8% |
| Clarke County | 129,609 | $10,824 million | $83,513 | 72,792 | $57,718 | 3.5% |
| Carroll County | 124,569 | $7,906 million | $63,464 | 45,530 | $56,823 | 3.5% |
| Fayette County | 122,244 | $8,271 million | $67,660 | 49,094 | $58,774 | 3.5% |
| Lowndes County | 119,965 | $7,135 million | $59,477 | 49,348 | $48,531 | 4.0% |
| Newton County | 118,152 | $4,592 million | $38,867 | 27,708 | $54,919 | 4.1% |
| Bartow County | 113,113 | $8,646 million | $76,441 | 46,472 | $57,660 | 3.3% |
| Whitfield County | 103,598 | $7,746 million | $74,774 | 57,828 | $54,855 | 3.6% |
| Walton County | 103,313 | $4,338 million | $41,991 | 26,450 | $54,248 | 3.3% |
| Floyd County | 99,693 | $5,687 million | $57,041 | 43,894 | $49,770 | 3.5% |
| Rockdale County | 95,281 | $5,909 million | $62,021 | 35,707 | $61,314 | 4.1% |
| Barrow County | 89,886 | $3,796 million | $42,231 | 24,098 | $53,359 | 3.1% |
| Glynn County | 85,447 | $6,274 million | $73,423 | 42,456 | $53,989 | 3.0% |
| Jackson County | 84,757 | $6,518 million | $76,898 | 45,812 | $50,463 | 3.2% |
| Dougherty County | 83,091 | $6,291 million | $75,716 | 46,025 | $54,123 | 5.0% |
| Bulloch County | 82,683 | $3,815 million | $46,138 | 28,263 | $47,121 | 3.8% |
| Troup County | 70,330 | $5,276 million | $75,025 | 42,086 | $56,630 | 3.0% |
| Effingham County | 69,143 | $3,025 million | $43,754 | 13,926 | $54,201 | 2.9% |
| Spalding County | 68,892 | $3,094 million | $44,911 | 23,477 | $49,873 | 4.0% |
| Walker County | 68,762 | $2,268 million | $32,985 | 14,922 | $45,778 | 3.3% |
| Catoosa County | 68,634 | $2,269 million | $33,055 | 16,284 | $44,946 | 3.2% |
| Liberty County | 67,397 | $5,289 million | $78,480 | 19,816 | $51,607 | 4.1% |
| Gordon County | 59,100 | $3,382 million | $57,217 | 24,899 | $57,205 | 3.2% |
| Camden County | 56,970 | $2,762 million | $48,486 | 15,883 | $54,858 | 3.4% |
| Laurens County | 49,798 | $2,704 million | $54,296 | 19,708 | $52,584 | 3.8% |
| Bryan County | 48,263 | $3,405 million | $70,542 | 11,459 | $51,413 | 3.1% |
| Habersham County | 47,793 | $2,106 million | $44,066 | 15,000 | $48,929 | 3.1% |
| Colquitt County | 46,224 | $2,121 million | $45,886 | 15,616 | $45,979 | 3.2% |
| Thomas County | 45,777 | $3,166 million | $69,155 | 20,952 | $55,040 | 3.5% |
| Polk County | 43,785 | $1,740 million | $39,747 | 11,149 | $48,735 | 3.5% |
| Baldwin County | 43,642 | $1,990 million | $45,597 | 16,169 | $43,911 | 3.9% |
| Oconee County | 43,551 | $2,564 million | $58,884 | 16,112 | $51,898 | 2.9% |
| Coffee County | 43,347 | $2,276 million | $52,500 | 17,889 | $47,678 | 3.6% |
| Tift County | 41,438 | $2,776 million | $66,982 | 22,007 | $50,544 | 3.4% |
| Murray County | 40,562 | $1,888 million | $46,537 | 8,252 | $45,202 | 3.5% |
| Harris County | 36,086 | $865 million | $23,984 | 6,557 | $47,289 | 3.3% |
| Ware County | 35,976 | $1,906 million | $52,984 | 14,597 | $46,107 | 4.3% |
| Pickens County | 34,951 | $1,588 million | $45,435 | 9,212 | $55,748 | 3.1% |
| Lumpkin County | 34,505 | $1,363 million | $39,514 | 8,510 | $49,223 | 3.8% |
| Lee County | 33,626 | $1,099 million | $32,687 | 7,353 | $48,163 | 3.0% |
| Gilmer County | 32,426 | $1,439 million | $44,390 | 8,067 | $44,051 | 3.3% |
| Madison County | 31,528 | $885 million | $28,064 | 4,034 | $44,626 | 3.3% |
| Haralson County | 31,285 | $1,403 million | $44,830 | 7,760 | $53,448 | 3.4% |
| Wayne County | 30,949 | $1,651 million | $53,340 | 8,867 | $50,870 | 3.4% |
| Dawson County | 30,242 | $1,551 million | $51,287 | 11,405 | $42,703 | 3.0% |
| Monroe County | 29,664 | $1,830 million | $61,678 | 8,072 | $54,833 | 3.2% |
| Decatur County | 29,195 | $1,428 million | $48,903 | 8,682 | $46,182 | 3.7% |
| Sumter County | 29,061 | $1,264 million | $43,481 | 9,902 | $45,522 | 4.5% |
| White County | 28,810 | $1,291 million | $44,799 | 9,487 | $40,185 | 3.0% |
| Jones County | 28,673 | $651 million | $22,721 | 4,199 | $46,841 | 3.4% |
| Peach County | 28,560 | $1,350 million | $47,253 | 10,495 | $53,255 | 4.3% |
| Upson County | 28,029 | $976 million | $34,834 | 7,233 | $48,658 | 3.8% |
| Toombs County | 27,102 | $1,517 million | $55,963 | 12,281 | $45,997 | 4.4% |
| Stephens County | 27,012 | $1,440 million | $53,321 | 8,540 | $49,830 | 4.2% |
| Hart County | 26,939 | $1,270 million | $47,161 | 7,936 | $49,680 | 3.6% |
| Butts County | 26,496 | $1,058 million | $39,925 | 8,422 | $48,477 | 3.6% |
| Union County | 26,304 | $1,258 million | $47,828 | 7,867 | $46,683 | 4.0% |
| Grady County | 26,108 | $874 million | $33,471 | 5,899 | $45,151 | 3.4% |
| Fannin County | 25,742 | $1,298 million | $50,442 | 7,441 | $44,667 | 3.2% |
| Chattooga County | 25,036 | $736 million | $29,384 | 4,989 | $43,955 | 4.1% |
| Burke County | 24,470 | $3,939 million | $160,983 | 7,429 | $79,708 | 4.5% |
| Franklin County | 24,234 | $1,502 million | $61,997 | 8,125 | $46,716 | 3.9% |
| Tattnall County | 24,208 | $920 million | $38,021 | 5,770 | $46,821 | 3.9% |
| Emanuel County | 23,026 | $996 million | $43,245 | 7,062 | $45,582 | 4.0% |
| Putnam County | 22,855 | $906 million | $39,643 | 6,311 | $47,828 | 3.7% |
| McDuffie County | 21,718 | $875 million | $40,303 | 7,064 | $43,918 | 4.1% |
| Morgan County | 21,078 | $1,518 million | $72,009 | 8,799 | $51,852 | 3.0% |
| Mitchell County | 21,058 | $1,044 million | $49,574 | 6,477 | $45,455 | 4.1% |
| Meriwether County | 20,929 | $913 million | $43,628 | 4,842 | $52,384 | 4.0% |
| Worth County | 20,451 | $451 million | $22,074 | 3,024 | $41,312 | 3.9% |
| Pierce County | 20,202 | $659 million | $32,631 | 4,532 | $45,273 | 4.0% |
| Greene County | 20,109 | $1,242 million | $61,755 | 7,182 | $52,883 | 3.7% |
| Pike County | 19,903 | $510 million | $25,641 | 3,431 | $48,412 | 3.2% |
| Elbert County | 19,849 | $998 million | $50,291 | 6,086 | $45,565 | 3.9% |
| Washington County | 19,849 | $867 million | $43,670 | 6,423 | $49,708 | 3.8% |
| Dodge County | 19,805 | $585 million | $29,539 | 4,956 | $40,731 | 3.4% |
| Crisp County | 19,790 | $1,377 million | $69,579 | 8,703 | $48,040 | 3.7% |
| Lamar County | 19,571 | $668 million | $34,154 | 4,461 | $50,573 | 4.6% |
| Banks County | 19,264 | $690 million | $35,816 | 4,876 | $44,856 | 3.1% |
| Appling County | 18,493 | $2,181 million | $117,961 | 7,572 | $61,770 | 4.1% |
| Long County | 18,374 | $309 million | $16,790 | 1,403 | $41,083 | 3.8% |
| Berrien County | 18,352 | $553 million | $30,144 | 3,795 | $41,776 | 3.2% |
| Brantley County | 18,315 | $372 million | $20,299 | 2,574 | $44,972 | 3.3% |
| Cook County | 17,532 | $536 million | $30,564 | 4,662 | $43,348 | 3.7% |
| Rabun County | 17,312 | $852 million | $49,209 | 5,758 | $41,641 | 3.4% |
| Ben Hill County | 17,089 | $821 million | $48,030 | 5,736 | $45,500 | 4.2% |
| Brooks County | 16,293 | $645 million | $39,567 | 3,302 | $47,261 | 4.0% |
| Dade County | 16,165 | $650 million | $40,233 | 4,535 | $47,218 | 3.4% |
| Jasper County | 15,929 | $433 million | $27,207 | 2,435 | $40,328 | 3.5% |
| Oglethorpe County | 15,509 | $518 million | $33,376 | 2,094 | $45,812 | 2.9% |
| Jefferson County | 15,341 | $729 million | $47,514 | 4,888 | $49,321 | 4.0% |
| Jeff Davis County | 14,924 | $694 million | $46,481 | 4,260 | $46,663 | 4.6% |
| Screven County | 14,130 | $427 million | $30,222 | 2,899 | $43,762 | 4.0% |
| Towns County | 12,913 | $601 million | $46,518 | 3,398 | $44,811 | 3.6% |
| Charlton County | 12,818 | $289 million | $22,519 | 2,082 | $46,782 | 3.4% |
| Bleckley County | 12,430 | $367 million | $29,532 | 3,129 | $45,487 | 3.6% |
| Crawford County | 12,225 | $233 million | $19,065 | 1,313 | $41,546 | 3.7% |
| Macon County | 11,864 | $616 million | $51,883 | 2,873 | $54,399 | 4.7% |
| Telfair County | 11,831 | $415 million | $35,072 | 2,068 | $41,880 | 4.8% |
| Heard County | 11,773 | $1,504 million | $127,764 | 2,138 | $61,776 | 3.7% |
| McIntosh County | 11,312 | $312 million | $27,624 | 1,772 | $42,972 | 3.7% |
| Bacon County | 11,109 | $508 million | $45,750 | 3,784 | $48,583 | 3.5% |
| Candler County | 11,043 | $406 million | $36,722 | 2,937 | $45,049 | 3.6% |
| Dooly County | 10,984 | $413 million | $37,638 | 2,483 | $47,624 | 4.1% |
| Evans County | 10,757 | $548 million | $50,976 | 4,539 | $42,860 | 3.3% |
| Early County | 10,603 | $657 million | $61,933 | 3,658 | $57,332 | 4.9% |
| Lanier County | 10,221 | $194 million | $18,997 | 1,407 | $44,639 | 3.6% |
| Pulaski County | 9,939 | $375 million | $37,715 | 2,816 | $47,261 | 3.7% |
| Wilkes County | 9,549 | $501 million | $52,424 | 2,697 | $49,819 | 4.1% |
| Irwin County | 9,285 | $293 million | $31,571 | 2,044 | $45,550 | 3.6% |
| Johnson County | 9,190 | $171 million | $18,572 | 1,362 | $41,753 | 3.7% |
| Seminole County | 9,156 | $411 million | $44,894 | 2,366 | $42,085 | 4.7% |
| Turner County | 8,939 | $281 million | $31,475 | 1,931 | $43,479 | 4.0% |
| Chattahoochee County | 8,887 | $2,189 million | $246,334 | 2,066 | $50,259 | 7.7% |
| Terrell County | 8,850 | $317 million | $35,781 | 2,136 | $44,769 | 5.0% |
| Wilcox County | 8,798 | $219 million | $24,851 | 1,173 | $40,801 | 3.6% |
| Wilkinson County | 8,747 | $604 million | $69,004 | 2,836 | $58,230 | 4.3% |
| Jenkins County | 8,711 | $214 million | $24,592 | 1,641 | $46,290 | 3.1% |
| Hancock County | 8,650 | $202 million | $23,361 | 1,456 | $44,202 | 4.9% |
| Montgomery County | 8,640 | $214 million | $24,809 | 1,500 | $39,939 | 4.6% |
| Atkinson County | 8,337 | $362 million | $43,457 | 2,123 | $49,678 | 3.3% |
| Lincoln County | 7,854 | $183 million | $23,260 | 1,453 | $42,032 | 4.0% |
| Twiggs County | 7,803 | $331 million | $42,480 | 1,639 | $44,077 | 4.5% |
| Taylor County | 7,786 | $278 million | $35,650 | 1,642 | $53,284 | 4.0% |
| Marion County | 7,509 | $149 million | $19,823 | 1,282 | $40,419 | 3.6% |
| Wheeler County | 7,335 | $160 million | $21,758 | 1,033 | $46,426 | 3.1% |
| Clinch County | 6,759 | $316 million | $46,719 | 2,450 | $46,073 | 4.0% |
| Treutlen County | 6,376 | $153 million | $24,068 | 1,104 | $48,152 | 4.0% |
| Randolph County | 6,196 | $228 million | $36,773 | 1,719 | $42,829 | 4.0% |
| Miller County | 5,850 | $277 million | $47,421 | 1,935 | $52,433 | 3.3% |
| Talbot County | 5,742 | $336 million | $58,446 | 866 | $47,041 | 4.2% |
| Calhoun County | 5,498 | $152 million | $27,674 | 1,208 | $45,370 | 3.0% |
| Warren County | 5,170 | $284 million | $54,864 | 1,617 | $55,413 | 3.8% |
| Stewart County | 4,869 | $199 million | $40,842 | 1,679 | $54,378 | 5.5% |
| Schley County | 4,513 | $155 million | $34,395 | 1,152 | $46,268 | 3.6% |
| Echols County | 3,709 | $54 million | $14,528 | 639 | $47,193 | 2.8% |
| Glascock County | 2,932 | $41 million | $14,070 | 387 | $37,227 | 3.8% |
| Clay County | 2,850 | $74 million | $26,066 | 589 | $38,988 | 5.7% |
| Baker County | 2,790 | $88 million | $31,623 | 437 | $45,963 | 4.9% |
| Webster County | 2,381 | $84 million | $35,470 | 493 | $56,434 | 3.9% |
| Quitman County | 2,264 | $47 million | $20,603 | 313 | $38,187 | 5.9% |
| Taliaferro County | 1,558 | $45 million | $28,844 | 212 | $35,355 | 4.1% |
298,924 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$26,282 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
4.4% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
130,345 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $77,005 (BLS QCEW).