The numbers
- Clayton city had 2,003 residents at the 2020 Census. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Redistricting Data (DECENNIALPL2020.P1), Clayton city, Georgia
- The 2020 Census counted 1,115 housing units in Clayton city: 889 occupied and 226 vacant. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Redistricting Data (DECENNIALPL2020.H1), Clayton city, Georgia
- In the Census Bureau's 2020 geography, Clayton city covers 8,773,410 square meters of land (about 3.4 square miles) and 10,975 square meters of water. U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder (Census2020 vintage), Clayton city AREALAND/AREAWATER
- Rabun County had 16,883 residents at the 2020 Census and covers 958,648,258 square meters of land (about 370 square miles). U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (DECENNIALPL2020.P1) and Census Geocoder county record, Rabun County, Georgia
- Rabun County has six incorporated places. Clayton city is the largest by 2020 Census population (2,003). The others are Mountain City town (904), Sky Valley city (482), Tiger town (422), Dillard city (337) and Tallulah Falls town (199; this figure is for the whole town). U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder (Census2020 vintage) place records, POP100; Forward Rabun (Our Organization) also refers to the county's six incorporated cities
- The Census Bureau lists Clayton city, Georgia (place GEOID 1316656) in Rabun County (county GEOID 13241). It has no connection to Clayton County, a separate Georgia county. U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder (Census2020 vintage), Incorporated Places and Counties layers
Services
- Rabun County Schools runs Pre-K, Rabun County Primary, Elementary, Middle and High schools. The district office is at 963 Tiger Connector Road, Tiger, GA 30576, phone 706-212-4350. Rabun County Schools: home page
- Wellstar Mountain Lakes Medical Center is at 162 Legacy Point, Clayton, GA 30525 (main line 706-782-3100). The hospital provides emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wellstar Mountain Lakes Medical Center: home page
- The Rabun County Library, part of the Northeast Georgia Regional Library system, is at 73 Jo Dotson Circle, Clayton, phone 706-782-3731. It is open Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and closed Sunday. It is closed Nov. 26-28 and Dec. 24-26, 2026. Georgia PINES catalog: Rabun County Library branch page
- Clayton City Hall is at 837 Highway 76 West, Clayton, GA 30525. Telephone (706) 782-4512, fax (706) 782-4596, email info@cityofclaytonga.gov. The City Police Department uses the same address. City of Clayton: official site footer; Live Feed (Police Department blood drive post, May 2026)
School zones and services change. Check an address with the provider directly before you rely on it.
Who runs what
- Roy Quilliams is the Mayor of the City of Clayton. He sits on the Forward Rabun board, and a May 2026 City post shows Mayor Quilliams and Council presenting a Key to the City. Forward Rabun: Our Organization (board list); City of Clayton Live Feed
- Clayton has a Downtown Development Authority (DDA), which meets monthly according to the City calendar. In July 2026 the DDA announced a new Clayton LEADS Academy leadership program. City of Clayton: Live Feed (July 2026) and Events calendar
- In early October 2026 the City finished the paved loop of the trail at Recess Park, which is on the site of the town's former school. The City's plans include a splash pad, a skate park, a dog park and an upgraded playground, and a trail that will connect with the Stekoa Creek trail through downtown. City of Clayton: Live Feed (Recess Park posts, June and October 2026)
The land around town
- The federal government owns about 148,000 acres, nearly 60 percent of Rabun County's land, according to the Rabun County Historical Society (2019). The Forest Service manages the Ellicott Rock Wilderness and the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. Rabun County Historical Society: Rabun County, The First 200 Years
- Rabun County government describes the county as the land where "Spring Spends the Summer," and points to its three major lakes, Tallulah Gorge and the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River. Rabun County Government: Community page (read through an October 2026 Wayback Machine copy because the)
- The ground at the traffic signal at Main Street and Savannah Street sits at about 1,932 feet above sea level, according to a U.S. Geological Survey elevation point query (1,931.8 ft). USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP), Main St at Savannah St, Clayton
Homes for sale around Clayton
Gold Peach Realty listings
Homes for sale around Clayton and Rabun County
Current listings from Gold Peach Realty, the North Georgia brokerage behind this guide. Photos, prices and details come straight from the MLS.
Want your home featured here? List with Gold Peach Realty and your home is featured on this guide and across our local community sites. How Gold Peach Realty markets homes
Search homes around ClaytonListings open on goldpeachrealty.com, the website of our brokerage, Gold Peach Realty. Listing information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
What we do not publish
We do not print school ratings, price averages or cost-of-living scores here, because we could not source current figures we trust. A Gold Peach Realty agent can walk you through recent sales: call (770) 283-1223.
Questions
What county is Clayton, GA in?
Clayton is in Rabun County, in the far northeast corner of Georgia, and it is the county seat. The Census Bureau lists Clayton city in Rabun County. It has nothing to do with Clayton County, which is a separate Georgia county. Rabun County's government offices are on Courthouse Square in Clayton, and the county had 16,883 residents at the 2020 Census.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Geocoder (Census2020); 2020 Census P1
How many people live in Clayton, Georgia?
Clayton city had 2,003 residents at the 2020 Census, in 1,115 housing units (889 occupied). The city covers about 3.4 square miles of land. It is the largest of Rabun County's six incorporated places, ahead of Mountain City, Sky Valley, Tiger, Dillard and Tallulah Falls, and the whole county had 16,883 people.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (P1, H1) and Census Geocoder
Which lakes are near Clayton, Georgia?
Three Georgia Power lakes sit in Rabun County near Clayton: Lake Burton, Lake Seed and Lake Rabun. Georgia DNR places Burton between Clayton and Hiawassee; it covers about 2,775 acres and was full by 1920. Seed covers 240 acres behind Nacoochee Dam, built in 1926. Rabun covers 834 acres behind Mathis Dam, built in 1915. All three are part of Georgia Power's North Georgia hydro system.
Source: Rabun County Historical Society: Electricity for Atlanta; Georgia Power: North Georgia Lakes
Is there a hospital in Clayton, GA?
Yes. Wellstar Mountain Lakes Medical Center is at 162 Legacy Point in Clayton, and its main line is 706-782-3100. The hospital says it provides emergency care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also has a full-service laboratory available around the clock and imaging services that include CT, ultrasound and X-ray.
What schools serve Clayton, Georgia?
Public students in Clayton attend Rabun County Schools. The district runs a Pre-K program, Rabun County Primary, Elementary, Middle and High schools, and its office is at 963 Tiger Connector Road in Tiger (706-212-4350). Forward Rabun also lists Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, where Foxfire began in 1966, and Tallulah Falls School among the county's schools.
Source: Rabun County Schools; Forward Rabun Area Info; Foxfire History
Where is the public library in Clayton?
The Rabun County Library is at 73 Jo Dotson Circle in Clayton, phone 706-782-3731. It belongs to the Northeast Georgia Regional Library system. It is open Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 1, and closed Sundays. It closes Nov. 26-28 and Dec. 24-26, 2026.
How high is Clayton, GA above sea level?
Downtown Clayton sits about 1,930 feet above sea level. A U.S. Geological Survey elevation query at the Main Street and Savannah Street signal returns 1,931.8 feet. That puts Black Rock Mountain State Park's 3,640-foot high point roughly 1,700 feet higher than downtown. Georgia State Parks warns that the mountain is often cooler and may close in ice.
Source: USGS Elevation Point Query Service; Georgia State Parks: Black Rock Mountain
Who runs downtown Clayton's events and city services?
Downtown events come from two groups. The Clayton Merchants & Business Association runs the Block Parties, Ramshackle, Halloween and the Cookie Crawl, and the City of Clayton hosts the Christmas Parade and the Soapbox Derby. City Hall, at 837 Highway 76 West (706-782-4512), handles city services. Roy Quilliams is mayor, and the city has a Downtown Development Authority.
Dates, rules and hours can change. The organizers have the final word: City of Clayton
