Clayton, North Carolina

Clayton is a town in Johnston County, North Carolina, United States. A very small portion of the town extends into Wake County. As of 2010, Clayton's population was 9,676 people. Since 2000, it had a population growth of 38.80 percent. Much of that growth can be attributed to the town's close proximity to the Research Triangle area and access to major highways such as I-40, U.S. 70, and NC 42.

In 2006, construction began on the Highway 70 Clayton Bypass, a 10.5-mile stretch from Interstate 40 along the southern portion of Clayton to Highway 70 business in Smithfield. It was completed in June 2008.

The Town Hall is located at 111 East Second Street in Downtown Clayton. The Town Hall complex is shared with The Clayton Center Auditorium and Conference Center.

History
The community which has grown into the Town of Clayton was built on a road cut blazed by Governor Tryon’s troops around 1770 as they marched North from New Bern to Hillsborough against the Regulators. Nearly 100 years later the railroad came through and the community had its first name—Stallings’ Station, since the depot for the North Carolina Railroad was in the home of Mrs. Sarah Stallings. The name lasted only three years, however, before officially becoming Clayton. Incorporation followed in 1869.

The new town was far from prosperous, however the Civil War made a depressed local economy even worse. Many prominent citizens moved away during that period.

But, following the war, the railroad was extended and businesses began to pop up. Ashley Horne developed a successful farming and merchandising business to become one of the most successful merchants and manufacturers in all of North Carolina. Horne’s success inspired two other men, McCullers and Barbour, to open businesses that also did well, beginning an era of growth that lasted well into the next century. Some of the businesses that flourished during that time were lumber plants, a brick kiln, a cotton gin, a gristmill, a sawmill, tobacco warehouses, cotton mills and a turpentine distillery.

By the early 1900s, the town had become a major market for cotton, watermelons and tobacco. In 1907, the Raleigh Evening Times of nearby Raleigh wrote that there was “more money per capita in Clayton than any city its size in the world”

Unfortunately, the town lost its financial eminence in the 1930s with the onset of the Great Depression, and its population grew slowly for the next forty years. The three local cotton mills continued to be a major source of jobs during that time, with 1,000 employees, but the local economy was modest and cotton was soon on its way out. By the early 1960s the mills were gone and cotton was no longer a player in the local economy. But the tobacco industry was bustling and the population shot up for awhile before settling back down as farming became less and less profitable.

The state began to change during the 1970s. An industrial base began taking shape and residential growth was increasing in the Raleigh area nearby. Clayton’s workforce adapted, shifting to a more service/trades-oriented economy and the town began to grow once again. By 1980, the population had grown to 4,091 and to 4,756 by 1990. The population then jumped to 6,973 in the year 2000 census. Today, manufacturers like Caterpillar and bio-pharmaceutical companies like Talecris and Novo Nordisk are big local employers. In 2010, the population had increased to 9,676.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000 census  there were 2,768 households, and 1,929 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,292.4 people per square mile (498.6/km²). There were 3,006 housing units at an average density of 557.1 per square mile (214.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 71.6% White, 20.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander.

Of the 2,768 households in the 2000 census, 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of nonfamilies and 9.2% had householder 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.99.

The age demographics of the 2000 census determined that 26.8% were under the age of 18, 8.5% were aged 18 to 24, 35.3% aged 25 to 44, 19.3% aged 45 to 64, and 10.0% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $44,750, and the median income for a family was $52,551. Males had a median income of $35,857 versus $26,384 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,332. About 6.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

The growth of Clayton is one of the fastest in the state. Flowers Plantation, located 2.5 miles northeast of Clayton's city limits, is a growing development of approximately 2,000 homes, apartments, and condos. The Riverwood development, a community of 1,500, was recently annexed by Clayton. Another large development being built in the area will bring in approximately 3,000 homes and businesses.

City Council
Mayor Jody L. McLeod 406 S. Fayetteville St. Clayton, NC 27520-2437 (919) 553-7197 (Home) Serving Since - Dec. 2003 Term Expires - 2011

Councilman Michael Grannis 507 East Second Street Clayton, NC 27520 (919) 550-8547 (Home) Serving Since - Dec 2005 Term Expires - 2013

Councilman Bob Satterfield 2045 Walden Way Clayton, NC 27527-9555 (919) 553-2273 (Work) (919) 422-3197 (Cell) Serving Since - Dec. 1997 Term Expires - 2013

Councilman Alex Harding 310 Parkridge Drive Clayton, NC 27527-6629 (919) 274-9032(Home & Cell) Serving Since - Dec. 2003 Term Expires - 2011

Councilman R.S. "Butch" Lawter, Jr. 467 East Second Street Clayton, NC 27520 (919) 553-4466 (Home) Serving Since - Jan 2009 Term Expires - 2011

Councilman Art Holder 16 Oakmont Court Clayton, NC 27527 (919) 550-2693 (Home) (919) 320-4900 (Cell) Serving Since - Dec. 2009 Term Expires - 2013

Crime
2006: Murder-1, Rape-5, Robbery-16, Aggravated Assault-18; Violent Crime Total: 40; Larceny-105, Motor Vehicle Theft-330; Property Crime Total: 17; TOTAL INDEX CRIMES: 452

2007: Murder-1, Rape-3, Robbery-18, Aggravated Assault-32; Violent Crime Total: 54; Larceny-123, Motor Vehicle Theft-265; Property Crime Total: 16; TOTAL INDEX CRIMES: 404

2008: Murder-0, Rape-5, Robbery-8, Aggravated Assault-21; Violent Crime Total: 34; Larceny-107, Motor Vehicle Theft-301; Property Crime Total: 18; TOTAL INDEX CRIMES: 426

2009: Murder-0, Rape-1, Robbery-16, Aggravated Assault-23; Violent Crime Total: 40; Larceny-101, Motor Vehicle Theft-257; Property Crime Total: 13; TOTAL INDEX CRIMES: 371

Plane Crashes Into Popular Clayton Restaurant; Pilot Killed
On September 21, 2007 the pilot of a single-engine plane died when the aircraft crashed into McCall's BBQ and Seafood Restaurant located on Highway 70.

Education

 * Cleveland Elementary School
 * Cleveland Middle School
 * Cleveland High School
 * Cooper Elementary School
 * Cornith Holders High School
 * East Clayton Elementary School
 * Powhatan Elementary School
 * River Dell Elementary School
 * Riverwood Elementary School
 * West Clayton Elementary School
 * Clayton Middle School
 * Riverwood Middle School
 * Clayton High School