Cost of Living in Clayton

Clayton's cost of living runs genuinely mixed: housing sits modestly above Delaware's statewide average, even as property taxes remain genuinely low.

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Housing runs modestly above statewide and national averages

A cited $448,782 average home value runs approximately 7% above the Delaware statewide average and modestly above the ~$408,776 national median (base record).

Genuinely low property taxes on both sides of the county straddle

Kent County's 0.46% rate and a separate, Clayton-specific 0.53% figure filed under New Castle County both run well below the ~1.02% national median (base record).

Delaware's real 6.6% top income tax rate, no sales tax

Delaware's real, current seven-bracket income tax (topping out at 6.6%) applies in Clayton as statewide, alongside Delaware's genuine flat 0% sales tax, no local option anywhere (base record).

A genuinely strong income offsets the housing premium

Clayton's cited $107,307 median household income helps offset its modestly above-average home prices relative to many other small Delaware towns (base record).

Key takeaways

Clayton's housing runs modestly above both Delaware statewide and national comparison figures.
Genuinely low property taxes apply regardless of which side of the county straddle is used.
Delaware's 6.6% top income tax rate and flat 0% sales tax both apply in Clayton as statewide.
A genuinely strong median household income helps offset the housing premium.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.