United States › Tennessee › Clay County COUNTY
Clay County Tennessee · 7,821 residents (2025 est.) · 237 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 7,670 people, Clay County is a county in Tennessee. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 48.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That trails the Tennessee median by roughly 43%. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $136,400. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 48.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,976 in 2000
7,821 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 34 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 7K 8K 8K 8K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clay County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $39,972
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,958 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,320 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.443 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.6%
Public administration 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$136,400
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$557
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $252 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.1% in 2000
25.6% rent
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.17 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.17 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 22.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 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 96.1%(7,664)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(108)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.8%(7,196)
Hispanic / Latino 0.2%(18)
from 2 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 12 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
+ 3 more ancestry groups with data from 6.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 58.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 57.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 17.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 29.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.2% 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) 12.5%(59)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.3%(63)
Share of the 473 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
Monroe County
Income $51,280 +28%
Home value $115,900 −15%
Population 11,191 +43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income $47,951 +20%
Home value $155,500 +14%
Population 12,466 +59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income $40,000 same
Home value $141,100 +3%
Population 5,992 −23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Overton County
Income $48,959 +22%
Home value $173,200 +27%
Population 23,787 +204%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Clay County, Tennessee? Clay County, Tennessee has about 7,670 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clay County, Tennessee? The typical household in Clay County, Tennessee earns about $39,972 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clay County, Tennessee expensive? In Clay County, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $136,400, and the typical rent is about $557 a month.
How educated are people in Clay County, Tennessee? About 11.5% of adults age 25 and over in Clay County, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clay County, Tennessee? About 24.2% of people in Clay County, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clay County, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Clay County, Tennessee has grown since 1990. The population has added about 432 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
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