Housing data for Clay Township, MI
Clay Township, MI has an estimated 8,357 residents and 5,177 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a township in St. Clair County.
6.3% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,005 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−5.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 8,357 (±27)
- Housing units
- 5,177 (±217)
- Households that rent
- 6.3%
- Median gross rent
- $1,005
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −5.8%
What stands out in Clay Township
Households that rent: 6.3% (±3.2 points) in Clay Township, lower than in St. Clair County (19.2%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 0.2% (±0.9 points) in Clay Township, lower than in St. Clair County (7.0%).
Median home value: $307,600 (±$22,479) in Clay Township, higher than in St. Clair County ($224,600).
Median real estate taxes: $3,575 (±$231) in Clay Township, higher than in St. Clair County ($2,562).
Housing in Clay Township at a glance
- Median rent: $1,005 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,110 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 46.3% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 6.3% of households rent (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Income and affordability: $87,292 median household income
- Home values: $307,600 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,661 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $3,575 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 0.2% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 67.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 59.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 4.2% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 88.4% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 38.5 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: −5.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 19.9% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room
- Fair Market Rent: $1,190 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 48028)
Clay Township against St. Clair County, its state and the nation
| Clay Township | St. Clair County | Michigan | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,357 (±27) | 160,221 (exact) | 10,077,761 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 5,177 (±217) | 72,799 (±121) | 4,622,236 (±795) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 6.3% (±3.2 points) | 19.2% (±1.2 points) | 26.8% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 (±$176) | $1,029 (±$25) | $1,129 (±$4) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $87,292 (±$7,948) | $71,270 (±$1,351) | $72,875 (±$293) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $307,600 (±$22,479) | $224,600 (±$3,575) | $231,600 (±$642) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $3,575 (±$231) | $2,562 (±$37) | $2,904 (±$9) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 59.4% (±6.7 points) | 57.1% (±1.7 points) | 62.1% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 38.5 minutes (±2.4) | 28.5 minutes (±0.7) | 24.2 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.3% (±2.0 points) | 90.9% (±0.7 points) | 90.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 55.3 years (±1.3) | 44.5 years (±0.2) | 40.2 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Clay Township covers 35.5 square miles of land, about 235 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Clay Township has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,874 (±21) | 8,357 (±27) | −5.8% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 5,855 (±162) | 5,177 (±217) | −11.6% | Measurable decrease |
| Median gross rent | $1,011 (±$113) | $1,005 (±$176) | −0.6% | Down after inflation |
| Median home value | $195,900 (±$17,304) | $307,600 (±$22,479) | +57.0% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $63,496 (±$5,407) | $87,292 (±$7,948) | +37.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,322 (±$101) | $1,661 (±$89) | +25.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,711 (±$139) | $3,575 (±$231) | +31.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 11.4% (±3.2 points) | 6.3% (±3.2 points) | −5.1 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% (±5.2 points) | 4.2% (±6.7 points) | +4.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in St. Clair County
Clay Township has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for St. Clair County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for St. Clair County recorded 273 violent and 660 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
ZIP codes in Clay Township
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48028 | 100% | 1,272 | — | $390,800 | $109,730 |
| 48001 | 93% | 11,224 | $944 | $257,400 | $69,160 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Clay Township
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonac | 4.5 mi | $910 | $199,500 | 25.2% |
| Ira Township | 6.3 mi | $1,266 | $244,200 | 19.6% |
| Cottrellville Township | 6.5 mi | $965 | $293,900 | 2.8% |
| New Baltimore | 7.8 mi | $1,039 | $323,200 | 16.2% |
| Marine City | 9.4 mi | $944 | $159,800 | 19.3% |
| Harrison Charter Township | 10 mi | $1,097 | $262,400 | 27.5% |
| Chesterfield Township | 11 mi | $1,140 | $295,700 | 17.7% |
| Casco Township (St. Clair County) | 11 mi | $1,091 | $303,200 | 5.3% |
Places in Michigan most like Clay Township
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamo Township | $983 | $233,400 | $86,905 | 5.9% |
| Garfield Township (Newaygo County) | $1,125 | $250,700 | $84,688 | 5.6% |
| Cottrellville Township | $965 | $293,900 | $91,897 | 2.8% |
| Pine Township | $1,034 | $220,400 | $82,966 | 11.2% |
| Highland Charter Township | $1,048 | $330,800 | $96,574 | 10.1% |
| Columbia Township (Jackson County) | $1,252 | $276,700 | $85,767 | 12.1% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Michigan.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Clay Township, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,047 | $1,167 | $1,459 | $1,777 | $1,929 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for Clay Township, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,050 | $36,700 | $58,700 |
| 2 people | $25,200 | $41,950 | $67,100 |
| 3 people | $28,350 | $47,200 | $75,500 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $52,400 | $83,850 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $56,600 | $90,600 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $60,800 | $97,300 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $65,000 | $104,000 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $69,200 | $110,700 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $104,800.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
The figures for Clay Township include the places inside it that have pages of their own: Pearl Beach.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Clay Township
What is the average rent in Clay Township, MI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Clay Township is $1,005 (±$176) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Clay Township?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Clay Township, MI is $973 (±$181) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Clay Township?
The median household income in Clay Township is $87,292 (±$7,948) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Clay Township, MI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $307,600 (±$22,479) for owner-occupied homes in Clay Township (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Clay Township?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Clay Township, MI is $1,661 (±$89) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in Clay Township?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in Clay Township, MI is $3,575 (±$231) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Clay Township growing?
In Clay Township, the number of residents went from 8,874 in 2015–2019 to 8,357 in 2020–2024 (−5.8%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in Clay Township?
The ZIP codes that cover Clay Township are 48028, 48001.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Clay township, St. Clair County, Michigan (county subdivision:16180, in state:26 county:147).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .