How Much Do You Really Know About Clayton?

Clayton's new, updated Strategic Growth Plan, which was presented to the town Council recently, is full of facts and projections that are designed to help town planners prepare for the future.

It's also a wealth of information about who we are as a town. So, just how much do you know about where you live? How much do you know about Clayton?

Sit back and take the following short quiz. Only one answer is right to each question. The other possible answers are all fakes. The answers are at the bottom.

The town of Clayton is named for:
(1) Governor Thomas Barnes Clayton of Stallings' Station (Clayton's original name)
(2) William Thornton Clayton, a wealthy land owner of Raleigh
(3) George Washington Clayton, a Civil War hero from Smithfield
(4) Senator John Middleton Clayton of Delaware

Clayton was built on a road made by:
(1) Governor Tryon's troops as they marched to Hillsborough to fight the Regulators
(2) Sherman's troops as they marched to the sea
(3) Wealthy landowners who built the “Cotton Trail” to Raleigh
(4) Workers who built the railroad through Clayton

In the early 1900s, Clayton was an agricultural hub for what three main crops?
(1) Corn, wheat and sorghum
(2) Cotton, watermelons and tobacco
(3) Soybeans, strawberries and pickles
(4) Sweet potatoes, tomatoes and blueberries

According to a recent survey, what are your top three priorities for Clayton?
(1) Shopping, roads and recreation
(2) Art, affordable housing and safety
(3) Jobs, education and growth
(4) Downtown, restaurants and transportation

While it's growing, Clayton's population is also:
(1) Getting older
(2) Getting younger
(3) Staying about the same

The average household in Clayton houses how many people:
(1) 3.32
(2) 2.53
(3) 4.54
(4) 5.08

Clayton is growing how fast:
(1) Twice the rate of the state as a whole
(2) Three times the rate of the state as a whole
(3) Eight times the rate of the state as a whole
(4) Eighteen times the rate of the state as a whole

During the next seven years, school enrollment here is expected to increase by:
(1) 70 percent
(2) 30 percent
(3) 18 percent
(4) 9 percent

How does Clayton compare to other small towns in the area in terms of education and wealth?
(1) Middle of the pack
(2) At or near the top
(3) Bottom 30 percent
(4) Bottom 10 percent but gaining

How many businesses are located downtown?
(1) 28
(2) 47
(3) 102
(4) 162

Though Clayton and Johnston County used to be huge in agriculture production, today agriculture contributes how many jobs to the local economy:
(1) 2 percent
(2) 8 percent
(3) 14 percent
(4) 30 percent

Residential development is outpacing nonresidential development by how much in dollars:
(1) 2 to 1
(2) 5 to 1
(3) 10 to 1
(4) 100 to 1

What percentage of employed Clayton residents actually work outside of town?
(1) 50 percent
(2) 22 percent
(3) 8 percent
(4) 94 percent

Clayton police spend most of their time dealing with what?
(1) Petty crime
(2) Domestic disputes
(3) Traffic accidents
(4) Fighting drugs

How many gallons of wastewater does the average home in Clayton produce a day?
(1) 4 gallons
(2) 11 gallons
(3) 25 gallons
(4) 250 gallons

How much is Clayton expected to grow in the next 10 years?
(1) 15,000 more people
(2) 22,000 more people
(3) 40,000 more people
(4) 80,000 more people

ANSWERS:

The town of Clayton is named for:
Senator John Middleton Clayton of Delaware. You probably learned that in school.

Clayton was built on a road made by:
Governor Tryon's troops as they marched to Hillsborough to fight the Regulators. In fact, General Sherman made a deal with area leaders during the Civil War and ended up taking mercy on the Clayton area as he marched through.

In the early 1900s, Clayton was an agricultural hub for what three main crops:
Cotton, watermelons and tobacco. In fact, during that time, Clayton was generally considered one of the richest towns in the world. It was all wiped out by the depression of the 1930s.

According to a recent survey, what are your top three priorities for Clayton?
Shopping, roads and recreation. In fact, those living inside the town limits, ranked Shopping highest by a wide margin, while those living just outside town ranked it lower.

While it's growing, Clayton's population is also:
Getting younger. In fact, since 1990 the number of people under 18 has gone up and the number over 65 has gone down.

The average household in Clayton houses how many people?
2.53. That's lower than the Johnston County average, but higher than the state average.

Clayton is growing how fast?
Three times the rate of the state as a whole. While the state is growing at a 1.6 percent clip per year, Clayton tops 5 percent---and it's going up.

During the next seven years, school enrollment here is expected to increase by:
70 percent. Yes, we said 70 percent! That's going to put a tremendous strain on schools, not to mention everything else. That's why town leaders are doing so much to build up the town's infrastructure.

How does Clayton compare to other small towns in the area in terms of education and wealth?
At or near the top. Residents here are well educated, with a high percentage having at least some college training. And we enjoy a good standard of living.

How many businesses are located downtown?
162. Surprised? There's a lot more going on downtown than many realize.

Though Clayton and Johnston County used to be huge in agriculture production, today agriculture contributes how many jobs to the local economy?
2 percent. The days when agriculture made Clayton one of the world's richest towns went away during the depression of the 1930s.

Residential development is outpacing nonresidential development by how much in dollars:
5 to 1. Town officials will be attempting to lower that ratio in future years.

What percentage of employed Clayton residents actually work outside of town?
94 percent. In fact, more than 75 percent have jobs outside Johnston County.

Clayton police spend most of their time dealing with what?
Traffic accidents. Our Police Department is one of the best in the state and got high marks from residents in a recent survey. They have been credited with keeping the crime rate here very low.

How many gallons of wastewater does the average home in Clayton produce a day?
250 gallons. And you wonder why we need more sewer capacity. With the population increasing fast, we need more facilities in a hurry to treat wastewater.

How much is Clayton expected to grow in the next 10 years?
40,000 more people. Town leaders are putting a lot of effort into getting ready.