United States › Mississippi › Clay County COUNTY
Clay County Mississippi · 18,238 residents (2025 est.) · 410 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 18,383 people, Clay County is a county in Mississippi. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $129,100. 0% of residents were born outside the United States. Median household income is $43,125, under the $82,259 national median. The poverty rate is 20.9%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 21,979 in 2000
18,238 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 51 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 19K 20K 21K 22K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clay County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $43,125
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,372 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,512 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.491 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Education & health services 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing 0.6%
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$129,100
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$817
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $364 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.6% in 2000
28.7% rent
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 42.5%(9,332)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(190)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 36.8%(6,773)
Hispanic / Latino 0.2%(36)
from 64 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 26 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 5 more ancestry groups with data from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 68.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.2%(2,447)
Women 15+
Never married 32.5%(2,628)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.4% 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) 21.5%(187)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.7%(137)
Share of the 871 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 County Head to head
Compare Clay County to nearby counties CLAY COUNTY VS
Oktibbeha County
Income $46,695 +8%
Home value $237,700 +84%
Population 51,896 +185%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Chickasaw County
Income $43,586 +1%
Home value $109,800 −15%
Population 16,730 −8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Monroe County
Income $51,866 +20%
Home value $120,800 −6%
Population 33,318 +83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Lowndes County
Income $53,812 +25%
Home value $164,100 +27%
Population 57,346 +214%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Clay County, Mississippi? Clay County, Mississippi has about 18,383 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clay County, Mississippi? The typical household in Clay County, Mississippi earns about $43,125 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clay County, Mississippi expensive? In Clay County, Mississippi, the median home is worth about $129,100, and the typical rent is about $817 a month.
How educated are people in Clay County, Mississippi? About 17.3% of adults age 25 and over in Clay County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clay County, Mississippi? About 20.9% of people in Clay County, Mississippi live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clay County, Mississippi grown since 1990? Yes, Clay County, Mississippi has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,737 residents, a change of about -13 percent over that period.
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