January 14, 2026
You’re looking for a new place to live, and you like the idea of being close to Raleigh, but you want to live outside the city—and you have children. What is a great place to raise a family near Raleigh, NC?
Clayton offers all the important wishes on your list:
Take a closer look at this fast-growing Raleigh suburb to see how it matches your criteria for the place where you should search for new homes for sale near Raleigh, NC.
Located in Johnston County, Clayton is just 14 miles southeast of Raleigh. You can drive to the North Carolina capital in 25 minutes, along major roadways. Research Triangle Park—the largest research park in the country and a massive employment center—is 35 minutes from Clayton. And if you need to catch a flight, Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a 40-minute drive.
That’s the benefits of the location, but what you also need to know about living in Clayton, NC, is that it’s the fastest growing towns in Johnston County. The population has risen nearly 28% in the past five years, from 29,000 to 37,000 residents. That kind of growth clearly demonstrates that Clayton is a town worthy of your consideration.
Ask the residents and they’ll tell you that the town is close-knit, friendly, and very welcoming to newcomers. The downtown district is a walkable area, lined with locally owned shops and a diverse menu of eateries—from coffee shops and bakeries to gourmet rooftop dining—as well as a nightlife that is enhanced with a social district. Clayton is also a hub for the arts. You can take your pick of live performances, exhibits, displays, and classes in an array of media and genres. Recreation is everywhere, too, an important consideration when you’re raising active kids.
And, for those times when you want to leave the kids at home, treat yourselves to the many date night ideas waiting for you in Clayton.
These are all solid reasons that “Clayton” is the answer to the question, “What is a great place to raise a family near Raleigh, NC?”
Let’s look a little closer at one of the most appealing Raleigh suburbs.
As the population keeps growing, Clayton has an educational infrastructure that supports families. The Clayton School District comprises 14 schools: eight elementary, three middle, two high schools, and one alternative, the American Leadership Academy (grades 6-12).
The graduation rate has risen by more than 13% over the past four years (to 93.4%). At every grade level, your child receives a well-rounded education, with nearly 260 nationally board-certified teachers, and a student:teacher ratio that is lower than many schools—as low as 15:1 (Clayton Middle School).
Here’s a snapshot of a few of Clayton’s schools:
Looking beyond public education, living in Clayton, NC, also provides convenient opportunities at nearby colleges and universities: North Carolina State University, Duke University in Durham, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Fayetteville State University, and Johnston Community College. And don’t forget about the reduced in-state tuition for North Carolina residents, making an exceptional education an equally exceptional value!
Are you looking for the kind of fun activities that are less about noisy arcades and the same old suburban franchises and more distinctive? Clayton is growing, but maintains its small town vibe, which appeals to creative entrepreneurs and businesspeople who want to connect with communities. Share simple pleasures with your kids, inspire them to learn and grow, and introduce them to unique opportunities to explore friendships.
Living in Clayton, NC, lets you achieve all these objectives. Check out some of the one-of-a-kind, things to do in Clayton with your children.
In the heart of Downtown Clayton is a building that has served the community for more than a century. Once housing a school, The Clayton Center experienced a renaissance, thanks to the community that funded the historic restoration. The Clayton Center has a 600-seat auditorium that gives its center stage to live performances of music, dance, and theater. The rest of the building is also dedicated to supporting the arts, with galleries, studios, and classrooms.
What’s more friendly to families than a family farm? Boyette Family Farms is a working farm, but they do a lot more than grow the herbs, flowers, pumpkins, and grapes that locals love to pick. In October, Boyette Family Farms hosts one of the most popular attractions in the region, Clayton Fear Farm. Don’t let the name scare you off. You’ll experience fright-free fun for all ages. For the December holiday season, Boyette’s ever-popular Lights on the Neuse takes your family on an old-fashioned hayride to view the holiday light spectacle throughout the farm’s many acres. Then, come back to meet Santa and warm up at the cocoa bar.
Children of all ages are welcomed at ARTmosphere Community Arts Center. You can choose from workshops and art classes, get creative in the clay studio, wander through the Dr. Seuss garden, or enroll your child in one of the camps. Bring your child or the whole family and come away with good memories!
Clayton families with young children find their happy place at Happy Feet Planet. Your kids will enjoy hours of entertainment and work off their high energy in this indoor playground for toddlers to pre-teens. The three-story play structure is open seven days a week for open play and birthday parties.
Activities at Cub House Play Cafe are designed to spark your child’s curiosity. Whether they like to jump and bounce or engage in quieter, hands-on creative play with activities for children age 6 and under. Combine play with learning at The Curious Cubs Discovery Club, a Saturday morning, STEAM-themed class with age-appropriate activities. While your children are busy, you can relax and socialize in the comfortable cafe.
Every Clayton area parent can appreciate the truly unique experience at Marie Farms. This family-owned farm promotes fun, wellness, and learning. Inspired by the two miniature donkeys rescued by the owners (Amber and Chris Peay), The Shaggy Donkey is both a children’s book and the farm’s mascot. The Resilient Moms Resource Guide is both a blog and a newsletter, filled with advice, monthly mocktails with moms, courses, recipes, nutrition help, and more.
Still asking yourself, What is a great place to raise a family near Raleigh, NC? How about activities that are affordable to bring your whole family?
When you’re looking for fun on a budget, you’ll find things to do in Clayton that cost absolutely nothing, making it a great place to raise a family near Raleigh, NC.
You’ll likely never need a reason to head to Downtown Clayton, because there’s so much to see and do. But there’s even more appeal when there are community events scheduled. The Clayton Harvest Festival, Downtown Clayton Movie Night, the annual Easter Egg Hunt, outdoor concert series, and a full slate of winter holiday activities always deliver fun for all ages—children and those who are still children at heart.
Teach your children the importance of protecting the world around them. Earth Day Clean-up is an annual event that brings residents together to take care of the environment. The day-long effort that makes a lasting difference.
Not sure about bringing your children to an art gallery or museum? Turn art appreciation into a family event when you follow the Clayton Sculpture Trail, a display of public art that winds through Downtown Clayton. Every year, the Public Art Advisory Board selects 14 outdoor art pieces—each by a different artist—to be installed at locations throughout the town. Take your family on a self-guided tour and find your favorites.
Local libraries should be high on everyone’s list of fun things to do. Today’s libraries provide so much more than books to borrow. In addition to books, ebooks, audiobooks, DVDs, and infinite knowledge. Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library gives the community a diverse choice of events, with everything from Baby Yoga to Senior Craft Club. The staff presents programs for children and families. How about sampling the Girl Scout cookies at a special preview or the monthly Teen Time activities? Family Speed Game Night is like speed dating, but with family members rotating through a selection of different games in an exhilarating competition.
Taking your children to parks and playgrounds is a free and easy way to spend time together, while they foster new friendships. Clayton Parks & Recreation Department manages a large network of parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, greenways, and trails—all free for Clayton residents to use. Here’s just a sample of what’s waiting for you in Clayton:
The Parks & Rec Department also sponsors a wide range of programs for kids, including classes and camps. Youth sports programs are available for flag football, baseball, softball, t-ball, basketball, soccer, and adaptive basketball. Dance classes include ballet, hip-hop, acrobatics, and tumbling. You’ll also find pottery programs for all ages, taekwondo, and SafeSitter training.
If you don’t tell your kids it’s educational, they’ll love exploring Clemmons Educational State Forest. They’ll learn about the forest’s ecosystem in forest ranger-conducted classes, like how to respect the wildlife, the harvesting of trees to build ships, and efforts to protect the Longleaf pine tree. Follow the self-guided tours, and even bring your dog (on a leash, of course). Take a break for lunch at the picnic areas, complete with grills and a stone fireplace.
Teaching children about gardening is a valuable lesson in being resourceful while promoting sustainability. The Clayton Community Garden is truly a hometown effort. The Johnston County Agricultural Extension Service partnered with Clayton Parks & Rec to create and launch the garden on land behind the Clayton Community Center. With the support of local residents, the Boy Scouts and funding from grants, the Clayton Community Garden now includes ADA-compliant raised beds, a multi-level herb garden, grapevine trellises, composting, and a honeybee hive. The harvested produce goes to local food banks.
Kids are welcomed to volunteer—another way to bring your family together—and participate in the gardening camp during the spring season.
Living in Clayton, NC, gives you and your family a lot of choices for activities. In addition to the programs we described, here are more ways to invest in your child’s physical aptitude.
The East Triangle YMCA provides everyone in your family with a center for fitness. From the Kid Zone child care center to the many programs—including swimming and youth sports for ages 3 to 15—each visit to the YMCA can give everyone an individualized experience. Super Skippers is the competitive jump rope team, a different approach to physical fitness.
Take advantage of having the Neuse River right in your hometown. Spend a day paddling along at your own pace. Whether or not you have your own equipment, you can schedule a two- or three-hour canoe or kayak trip for the whole family with Neuse Adventures Canoe & Kayak Rentals in Clayton.
What is a great place to raise a family near Raleigh, NC? Can you see the value of living in Clayton? Are you ready to start looking for your new home in this exciting Raleigh suburb?
One more factor to consider: The cost of living in Clayton is 8% lower than the national average. Property tax in Johnston County is also considerably lower than Wake County, where Raleigh is located.
Now…let’s look at one more very interesting opportunity for families in Clayton.
The population growth in Clayton has sparked the construction of new homes. But there’s nothing that stands out like the lakeside community that’s begun to grow on Cattail Lake, a few miles from the downtown area.
Cattail is a master-planned community of luxury homes. The 575 wooded acres were purchased from a family trust that had owned the property for three generations. They wanted to see the land used to provide families a quality of life that is hard to find in the entire region.
The developers have chosen to build homes with large lots, not squeezing in as many homes as possible on the land. In all, just 296 homes will be built here. Homesites range from half an acre to more than three acres! A majority of the land will be preserved, giving residents the natural beauty of the wooded area and the 80-acre lake.
The four builders—Crosswind Custom Homes, Homes By Dickerson, New Home Inc., and Royalty Homes—who are exclusively building homes at Cattail have begun the first phase of the community. The 51 new homes for sale in Clayton right now have two enclaves—The Peninsula at Cattail and The Preserve at Cattail. TThe Peninsula at Cattail is the lakefront area of this first phase, and The Preserve at Cattail is a short walk to the waterfront.
Select your builder, lot, and floor plan to have your home built to your specifications. Or choose one of the quick move-in homes currently under construction and be one of the first residents of Cattail! Cattail’s builders have assembled extensive portfolios of curated floor plans, just for Cattail’s unique style.
While Clayton has plenty of things to do, you don’t have to leave the Cattail community to spend a day with as much fun and leisure as you want.
Bring everyone to the resort-style pool, where you can also take in a full view of Cattail Lake. The pool has cabanas and pergolas for shade and picnics. Rain or shine, head to the clubhouse, with spaces for group gatherings or quiet reflection by the fireplace. The community lawn is planned for events, from concerts and fitness classes to parties.
Since you’ll be living by the lake, you might want to utilize the private docks and fishing areas. Did we mention the lake is stocked?
Walk or ride your bike (or golf cart) along the paved trails, including a trip around the 2.5 miles of shoreline.
If you’ve been looking at new homes for sale near Raleigh, NC, be sure to include Clayton in your search. Just 14 miles from Raleigh, Clayton delivers a small town lifestyle that’s both active and relaxed! Nestled by a picturesque lake, you’ll experience year ‘round vacation living.
Contact a new home specialist at Cattail to learn more about the community and opportunities to build or purchase one of these gorgeous new homes for sale in Clayton, NC.