Clay, MI housing market
Builders were permitted 31 new homes in 2025.
Home values, sales, trends and how Clay compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
31 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 31 new homes in Clay in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $10.9 million to build. That's 3.7 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Michigan (2.3). Over the past 10 years, Clay has permitted 280 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Clay's population fell by 620 even though 183 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. 21% of Clay's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across Michigan: 1.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 16 | 16 | 0 | $5.1 million |
| 2025 | 31 | 31 | 0 | $10.9 million |
| 2024 | 31 | 31 | 0 | $9.1 million |
| 2023 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $8.2 million |
| 2022 | 18 | 18 | 0 | $5.3 million |
| 2021 | 28 | 28 | 0 | $7.9 million |
| 2020 | 25 | 25 | 0 | $4.5 million |
| 2019 | 31 | 31 | 0 | $6.3 million |
| 2018 | 44 | 44 | 0 | $8.8 million |
| 2017 | 19 | 19 | 0 | $3.9 million |
| 2016 | 27 | 27 | 0 | $7.2 million |
| 2015 | 17 | 17 | 0 | $4.1 million |
| 2014 | 14 | 14 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2013 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.6 million |
| 2012 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $1.9 million |
| 2011 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $582,000 |
| 2010 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2009 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $916,000 |
| 2008 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2007 | 19 | 19 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2006 | 30 | 30 | 0 | $4.2 million |
| 2005 | 43 | 37 | 6 | $5.5 million |
| 2004 | 54 | 54 | 0 | $7.2 million |
| 2003 | 62 | 62 | 0 | $8.3 million |
| 2002 | 65 | 65 | 0 | $8.6 million |
| 2001 | 61 | 61 | 0 | $8.9 million |
| 2000 | 64 | 50 | 14 | $7.2 million |
Clay's permit office reported 11 of 12 months in 2025; the Census estimated the rest.
How Clay ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Clay and its neighbors
| Town | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay | — | $1,150 | 31 | $87,292 |
| Ira | +2.8%† | $1,520 | 5 | $70,469 |
| Cottrellville | +6.5%† | $1,100 | 11 | $91,897 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
3.5 years of income
The typical Clay home costs about 3.5 years of the town's median household income, about the same as across Michigan (3.7).
How Clay ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,150
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Clay is $1,150 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Clay pay a median of $1,005, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 16% of the town's median household income.
Studio $820 · 4 bedrooms $1,520
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (48001, 48028; Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Recent listings in Clay
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.