United States › South Dakota › Clay County COUNTY
Clay County South Dakota · 15,031 residents (2025 est.) · 412 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 home to 15,219 people in South Dakota. The median age is 24.9, younger than the US median of 38.9. People stay put here: 71% were in the same home a year ago. Owners hold 51% of the housing stock. 45% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 4% of residents were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 24.9
US median: 38.9
More educated
45% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 13,537 in 2000
15,031 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 33 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 24.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 14K 14K 15K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clay County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,850
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,535 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,452 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 21.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.479 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 6.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Public administration 1.3%
Education & health services 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$232,300
+73%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$770
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $440 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 54.4% in 2000
49.2% rent
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.29 people
+17%since 2009
from 1.96 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 55.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 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 92.3%(12,498)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(120)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.2%(12,807)
Hispanic / Latino 3.3%(504)
from 21 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 16 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
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 38.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 89.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 17.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 65.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 43.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 8.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 84.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 64.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 56.1%(3,667)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 13.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 80.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 23.9% 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) 29.8%(189)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.7%(150)
Share of the 634 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
Union County
Income $89,636 +58%
Home value $301,100 +30%
Population 17,402 +16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Yankton County
Income $72,821 +28%
Home value $225,900 −3%
Population 23,635 +57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Cedar County
Income $73,578 +29%
Home value $185,000 −20%
Population 8,373 −44%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income $99,166 +74%
Home value $348,300 +50%
Population 77,145 +413%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Clay County, South Dakota? Clay County, South Dakota has about 15,219 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clay County, South Dakota? The typical household in Clay County, South Dakota earns about $56,850 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clay County, South Dakota expensive? In Clay County, South Dakota, the median home is worth about $232,300, and the typical rent is about $770 a month.
How educated are people in Clay County, South Dakota? About 45.4% of adults age 25 and over in Clay County, South Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clay County, South Dakota? About 19.7% of people in Clay County, South Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clay County, South Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Clay County, South Dakota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,033 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.
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