CensusEasy
COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Clay County

Illinois · 14,560 residents · 468 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Clay County is home to 14,560 people in Illinois. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. Owners hold 80% of the housing stock. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $50,200. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 34%. At a median age of 39.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 39.7
US median: 35.2
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

14,560
+1%since 1990
from 14,460 in 1990
1990 – 2025
39.7
+8%since 1990
from 36.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
468 sq mi
Population, 19902024
13K13K14K14K15K19902000201020202024Clay County
202413K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.9%(859)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.8%(992)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.9%(1,009)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 196.8%(996)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.4%(789)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.6%(1,684)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.3%(2,084)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413%(1,896)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410%(1,459)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 748.7%(1,273)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 847.2%(1,044)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over3.3%(475)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$30,599
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $20,006 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$15,771
+64%since 1990
from $9,590 in 1990
US average: $21,522
11.8%
−5.0 ptssince 1990
from 16.8% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$50,200
+23%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $30,900 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$348
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $246 in 1990
US average: $602
79.9%
+1.0 ptssince 1990
from 78.9% in 1990
20.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic99.5%(14,392)
Black0%(6)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(62)
Asian0.1%(18)
2000
White, non-Hispanic98.2%(14,297)
Black0.1%(16)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(88)
Asian0.5%(76)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.9%(247)
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(14)
Vietnamese0.1%(8)
Ancestry
German20.7%(2,708)
Irish13%(1,702)
American11.8%(1,534)
English8.4%(1,093)
Polish2.4%(307)
Italian2.2%(283)
Scottish1.2%(156)
Dutch0.9%(119)
Norwegian0.7%(89)
French0.7%(86)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(73)
British0.4%(57)
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.3%(40)
Turkish0.2%(27)
Welsh0.1%(16)
Belgian0.1%(11)
Swiss0.1%(9)
Swedish0.1%(8)
Slovak0%(6)
Czech0%(4)
Danish0%(2)
Section 05

Education

9.7%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 7.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
75.9%
+10.4 ptssince 1990
from 65.6% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
3.4%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 2.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.1 min
−35%since 1990
from 21.6 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married22.2%(1,222)
Married64.1%(3,527)
Widowed3.2%(174)
Divorced10.5%(579)
Women 15+
Never married15.3%(948)
Married57.5%(3,559)
Widowed16.3%(1,009)
Divorced10.8%(671)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

5.1%
−5.8 ptssince 2013
from 10.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
51.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 49.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.7%
−4.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
22.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
30.3%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 26.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 64.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
49.0%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 45.4% 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)16.9%(149)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)7%(62)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era41.6%(366)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.4%(74)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II7.2%(63)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 880 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Clay County

Head to head

Compare Clay County to nearby counties

Frequently asked

How many people live in Clay County, Illinois?

Clay County, Illinois has about 14,560 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Clay County, Illinois?

The typical household in Clay County, Illinois earns about $30,599 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Clay County, Illinois expensive?

In Clay County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $50,200, and the typical rent is about $348 a month.

How educated are people in Clay County, Illinois?

About 9.7% of adults age 25 and over in Clay County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Clay County, Illinois?

About 11.8% of people in Clay County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Clay County, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Clay County, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 100 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →