CensusEasy
COUNTY

Clay County

North Carolina · 12,239 residents (2025 est.) · 215.001 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
Notable rankings
#61Oldest by median ageof 3,14455.0
The short version

Clay County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $56,971. Population has grown 32% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $278,400. With a median age of 55.0, the population is older than the US median of 38.9.

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

Total population
11,610
+32%since 2000
from 8,775 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
54 / sq mi
+15%since 2009
from 47 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
55.0
+18%since 2000
from 46.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:12,239 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
7K8K9K11K12K1990201020202024Clay County
202412K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.7%(544)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(555)
US avg: 6%
10 to 143.7%(427)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.7%(666)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.4%(391)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 346.9%(797)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.6%(1,114)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.3%(1,307)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6417.3%(2,003)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7419.5%(2,265)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8410.3%(1,200)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.9%(341)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$56,971
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,397 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$40,205
+121%since 2000
from $18,221 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.4%
+24.5 ptssince 2009
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 11.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.477
+6%since 2010
from 0.451 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information14.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade11.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Retail trade5.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 5.1%
Education & health services3%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Public administration1.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$278,400
+68%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$804
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $408 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
81.2%
−3.3 ptssince 2000
from 84.5% in 2000
18.8% rent
Vacancy rate
32.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
29.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
27.4%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.9
+13%since 2009
from 4.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
74
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Clay County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(8,536)
Black0.8%(70)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(73)
Asian0.1%(7)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic90.2%(10,469)
Black2.2%(254)
Hispanic / Latino4.1%(481)
Asian0.6%(66)
Other2.9%(340)
Diversity Score
23
+124%since 2009
from 10 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
22
−57%since 2020
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

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.6%(307)
Chilean0.5%(54)
Spaniard0.2%(29)
Colombian0.2%(26)
Cuban0.2%(20)
Dominican0.1%(14)
Asian origin
Burmese0.4%(45)
Chinese0.1%(7)
Korean0.1%(7)
Indonesian0.1%(7)
Ancestry
English18.7%(2,167)
German12.8%(1,486)
Irish10.8%(1,256)
American10%(1,166)
Italian5.8%(672)
Scotch-Irish5.5%(640)
Scottish3.1%(356)
French1%(119)
Polish1%(118)
Romanian1%(117)
Norwegian0.4%(46)
British0.3%(37)
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.3%(34)
Czech0.3%(31)
Russian0.2%(29)
Swiss0.2%(29)
Iranian0.2%(28)
Finnish0.2%(26)
Welsh0.2%(22)
Canadian0.1%(16)
Slovak0.1%(16)
Armenian0.1%(10)
Hungarian0.1%(9)
Swedish0.1%(9)
Ukrainian0.1%(8)
Nigerian0.1%(7)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.8%
+16.4 ptssince 2000
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.5%
+16.0 ptssince 2000
from 76.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.8%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.2 min
+38%since 2000
from 16.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.1%
−2.9 ptssince 2009
from 82.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.1%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.4%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.6%
−9.4 ptssince 2011
from 12.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
45.4%
−5.5 ptssince 2011
from 50.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
33.5%
−27.3 ptssince 2009
from 60.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.4% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
Foreign born
3.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.6%
−41.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.2%
+3.0 ptssince 2012
from 14.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
15.9%
−60.4 ptssince 2013
from 76.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
83.3%
+9.6 ptssince 2017
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
97.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2016
from 97.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.8%(1,274)
Married57.6%(2,845)
Widowed5.1%(252)
Divorced11.6%(572)
Women 15+
Never married17.6%(905)
Married54.7%(2,812)
Widowed12.4%(638)
Divorced15.3%(786)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Clay County

Prowers County
Pop 11,884
Towns County
Pop 13,285
Washington County
Pop 11,583
Clay County
Pop 12,793
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%
Population13,285+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Cherokee County
Income$53,628−6%
Home value$232,300−17%
Population30,830+152%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Macon County
Income$59,061+4%
Home value$251,900−10%
Population39,232+221%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Union County
Income$66,176+16%
Home value$307,400+10%
Population27,859+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.

Keep going

Explore from here

4 census tracts
Census Tract 9501.01Census Tract 9502.01Census Tract 9502.02Census Tract 9501.02
3 ZIP codes
ZIP 28904ZIP 28909ZIP 28902
Up the hierarchy
All counties in North Carolina
Rankings
Highest income countiesLowest poverty counties

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

How we source and harmonize this data →