United States › Kentucky › Clay CITY
Clay Kentucky · 1,004 residents (2025 est.) · 0.86 sq mi
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The short version
Clay is a city of 996 people in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $74,400, having risen by half since 2000. 1% of residents were born outside the United States. Median rent is $772 a month. Getting to work takes 35 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 9%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,179 in 2000
1,004 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,155 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 1,237 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
935 1K 1K 1K 1K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clay Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $61,250
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,625 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,545 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.420 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 7.2%
Transportation & warehousing 4.5%
Education & health services 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Public administration 0.6%
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$74,400
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$772
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $315 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.0% in 2000
33.7% rent
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.8%(1,165)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95.8%(954)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(16)
from 2 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 50.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 73.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 100.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.2%(5)
Share of the 33 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Clay Head to head
Compare Clay to nearby cities CLAY VS
Madisonville
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CLAY VS
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CLAY VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Clay, Kentucky? Clay, Kentucky has about 996 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clay, Kentucky? The typical household in Clay, Kentucky earns about $61,250 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clay, Kentucky expensive? In Clay, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $74,400, and the typical rent is about $772 a month.
How educated are people in Clay, Kentucky? About 18.5% of adults age 25 and over in Clay, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clay, Kentucky? About 9.6% of people in Clay, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clay, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Clay, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 139 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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