Clayton County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area and is the county in which most of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport lies.
The county was established in 1858 and named in honor of Augustin Smith Clayton (1783-1839), who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1832 until 1835.
As of the 2000 census, there were 236,517 people, 82,243 households, and 59,214 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,658 people per square mile (640/km²). There were 86,461 housing units at an average density of 606 per square mile (234/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 37.94% White, 51.55% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.49% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Estimated 2006 population is 271,240, with a racial make-up of 20.4% white non-hispanic, 62.9% African American, 5% Asian, 11.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Naive, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. 1.5% were reported as multi-racial.
There were 82,243 households out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.70% were married couples living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 18.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,697, and the median income for a family was $46,782. Males had a median income of $32,118 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,079. About 8.20% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
The last quarter-century has seen significant change in the racial composition of the county's population. In 1980, Clayton county's population was 150,357 — 91% white and 9% minority, [1] while in 2006 the population was approximately 271,240 — 20% white and 80% minority. Many of these Minority groups lived in Clayton County's housing projects that were built around the time these minority groups moved to Clayton County; since then many of the housing projects have been redeveloped due to high crime.
There is commuter rail service in the planning stages along the Norfolk Southern line, with proposed stations in Forest Park, Morrow, Jonesboro, and initially ending at Lovejoy. This line is projected to run to Macon eventually. However, it has been repeatedly stalled by the Georgia General Assembly, despite having federal funding already available for it.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's Airport station is located just barely in Clayton. Buses from Clayton feed into MARTA rail stations in Fulton (College Park and East Point). Clayton is one of three counties with representation on the MARTA board, but no rail service, since voters refused to approve the 1% sales tax needed to fund it.