Clayton is a city of about 17,400 people in central St. Louis County, directly west of the city of St. Louis. It is the St. Louis County seat and the region’s second largest business district, with a mix of older single-family streets, condos and apartments inside 2.5 square miles. Here is the housing picture, the school district, the commute and MetroLink, and the parks.
About Clayton, Missouri
Clayton covers 2.507 square miles and had a population of 17,380 in the latest Census estimates. It is the county seat of St. Louis County and borders the west side of the independent city of St. Louis. The city ZIP code is 63105.
The housing is older and more mixed than in most of the surrounding suburbs. About 55% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and about 32% of all housing units are single-family detached, so condos, apartments and multi-unit buildings are a real part of the market. The median home was built in 1954, about 35% of units were built before 1940, and about 65% before 1970. A newer wave shows up in the 2000s, which added about 12% of the city’s units.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter. Land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer file. County seat and ZIP code: City of Clayton (claytonmo.gov) About Clayton page and the City Hall address, 10 N. Bemiston Ave., Clayton, MO 63105.
Clayton is also one of the region’s primary employment centers. The city describes its downtown as the region’s premier business district, with about 10 million square feet of office space, more than 3,400 businesses and a daily workforce of roughly 45,000. Centene Corporation and Graybar are among the headquarters based here. The city also notes that 81% of Clayton land is in residential or park use.
Source: City of Clayton (claytonmo.gov) About Clayton and Economic Development pages.
What Homes Sell For in Clayton
Over the past 12 months (October 2025 to September 2026), 191 homes sold in the MARIS Clayton market area. More than half of them (52%) closed at $700,000 or above, and the median sale landed between $700,000 and $800,000.
| Segment | Range |
|---|---|
| More than half of sales (52%) | $700,000 and above |
| Median sale | $700,000 to $800,000 |
| Under $700,000 | 48% of sales |
Source: MARIS MLS closed residential sales (rentals excluded): single-family, condo, townhouse and villa, city of Clayton, October 2025 to September 2026. This is a market-wide range, not a valuation for any specific home.
Thinking of selling? Get an estimate of your home’s value, or ask Craig for a current comparable sales pull.
Schools Serving Clayton
Clayton is served by the School District of Clayton, which covers all of Clayton plus portions of Richmond Heights and a portion of unincorporated St. Louis County.
District schools named for the city are Glenridge, Captain and Meramec elementary schools, Wydown Middle School at 6500 Wydown Boulevard, and Clayton High School.
The district does not publish an online address lookup tool. Its Enroll page defines residency as a parent or guardian whose domicile is within the district boundaries, and lists Resident Enrollment at 314-854-6031 for address questions. The District Administrative Center is at #2 Mark Twain Circle, Clayton, MO 63105, 314-854-6000. Confirm the district for a specific address before you make an offer.
Source: claytonschools.net (Enroll page and site footer).
Getting Around: Commute and MetroLink
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Average one-way commute | 16.6 minutes |
| Drive alone to work | About 57% of workers |
| Work from home | About 23% of workers |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter.
Because Clayton is itself a major employment center, many residents here are already at the office end of the commute. Without traffic, downtown St. Louis is about 9 miles and 15 minutes away.
Drive times: OSRM routing, no-traffic estimates. Rush hour adds to both.
Clayton has its own MetroLink stops. Metro Transit lists the Clayton station on the Blue Line at 275 S. Central Ave. and the Forsyth station at 7411 Forsyth Blvd., both with Clayton addresses, and the city counts two MetroLink passenger stations. Metro also runs the Clayton Transit Center, where the light rail station connects with MetroBus routes, with a MetroBus address of 232 S. Meramec.
Sources: Metro Transit (metrostlouis.org) MetroLink Blue Line station list and system addresses; City of Clayton (claytonmo.gov) About Clayton page.
Parks and Places Residents Actually Use
- Shaw Park, 27 S. Brentwood Blvd.: the city’s oldest and largest park at 47.47 acres, established in 1935, with an outdoor Aquatic Center (50-meter competition pool, diving pool and splash pool), an outdoor ice rink, 10 tennis courts, 9 ball fields, 3 playgrounds, 2 sand volleyball courts and eight paved picnic areas. The Centennial Greenway runs along its western edge and connects north along I-170.
- Oak Knoll Park, 1 Oak Knoll Park: 14.5 acres established in 1958, with a half-mile walking path, a pond with a lighted fountain, a playground and two early 20th century stone mansions.
- DeMun Park, 810 DeMun Ave.: little library, picnic tables, playground and restrooms.
- Anderson Park, 8275 Clayton Road: home of the Clayton Dog Park, plus picnic tables.
- Hanley Park, 7600 Westmoreland Ave.: little library, picnic tables, restrooms and a walking path.
- The Center of Clayton: the city’s indoor recreation facility.
Source: City of Clayton (claytonmo.gov) parks pages.
The city’s calendar is busy: the Saint Louis Art Fair presented by Emerson takes over downtown Clayton each September, the Clayton Jazz Festival returns for its sixth year on Saturday October 3, 2026, Musical Nights at Oak Knoll Park runs free concerts from late June through late September, and Party in the Patch is at Shaw Park on Friday October 16, 2026.
Sources: saintlouisartfair.com; City of Clayton special events page.
Who Clayton Is Really For
- Buyers who want to live where they work, in the county’s largest office district after downtown
- Buyers open to condos and apartments as well as single-family houses
- Anyone who wants a MetroLink station and a transit center inside a 2.5-square-mile city
Clayton Real Estate FAQ
What school district is Clayton, MO in?
The School District of Clayton serves all of Clayton, plus portions of Richmond Heights and part of unincorporated St. Louis County. The district does not publish an online address lookup, so call Resident Enrollment at 314-854-6031 to confirm a specific address.
Is there MetroLink in Clayton?
Yes. Metro Transit lists the Clayton station on the Blue Line at 275 S. Central Ave. and the Forsyth station at 7411 Forsyth Blvd., both with Clayton addresses, and the Clayton Transit Center connects the light rail with MetroBus.
How far is Clayton from downtown St. Louis?
About 9 miles, or roughly 15 minutes without traffic.
What kind of housing does Clayton have?
A mix. About 32% of housing units are single-family detached and about 55% of occupied homes are owner-occupied. The median home was built in 1954 and roughly two thirds of units were built before 1970.
Work With Single Tree Team in Clayton
Single Tree Team is Craig Ziegel, a real estate agent licensed in Missouri and Illinois since 2011, brokered by eXp Realty. Craig helps buyers and sellers across central St. Louis County, including Clayton, and can pull current comparable sales for any street.
