United States › North Carolina › Clay County COUNTY
Clay County North Carolina · 12,239 residents (2025 est.) · 215 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
Clay County is a county of 11,610 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 55.0, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. Growth has run 32% since 2000, or 2,835 more people. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. Renters pay $804 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 55.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 68%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 8,775 in 2000
12,239 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 47 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 46.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 8K 9K 11K 12K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clay County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,971
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,397 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,221 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.451 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Education & health services 3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Public administration 1.5%
Transportation & warehousing 0.5%
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$278,400
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$804
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $408 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 84.5% in 2000
18.8% rent
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.10 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.3 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 97.3%(8,536)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(73)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 90.2%(10,469)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(481)
from 10 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 50 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
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 50.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 23.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 25.8%(1,274)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 23.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 36.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.8% 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) 11.6%(75)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.8%(108)
Share of the 644 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
Towns County
Income $59,135 +4%
Home value $316,100 +14%
Population 13,285 +9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Cherokee County
Income $53,628 −6%
Home value $232,300 −17%
Population 30,830 +152%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Macon County
Income $59,061 +4%
Home value $251,900 −10%
Population 39,232 +221%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Union County
Income $66,176 +16%
Home value $307,400 +10%
Population 27,859 +128%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Clay County, North Carolina? Clay County, North Carolina has about 11,610 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clay County, North Carolina? The typical household in Clay County, North Carolina earns about $56,971 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clay County, North Carolina expensive? In Clay County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $278,400, and the typical rent is about $804 a month.
How educated are people in Clay County, North Carolina? About 31.8% of adults age 25 and over in Clay County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clay County, North Carolina? About 12.9% of people in Clay County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clay County, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Clay County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,455 residents, a change of about 62 percent over that period.
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