United States › West Virginia › Clay County COUNTY
Clay County West Virginia · 7,538 residents (2025 est.) · 342 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 7,835 people in West Virginia. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The average commute runs 45 minutes. At a median age of 45.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $109,100. 26.4% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,330 in 2000
7,538 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 29 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 9K 10K 11K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Clay County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $42,318
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,120 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,021 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 27.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.460 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.8%
Public administration 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Education & health services 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
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$109,100
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$651
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $278 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.2% in 2000
24.0% rent
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 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 97.9%(10,108)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(42)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 96.8%(7,583)
Hispanic / Latino 0.2%(18)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 39 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
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 63.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 34.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 45.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 51.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 78.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 26.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 47.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 67.9% 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) 19.4%(72)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.3%(83)
Share of the 372 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
Nicholas County
Income $54,639 +29%
Home value $121,600 +11%
Population 23,848 +216%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Roane County
Income $45,778 +8%
Home value $122,100 +12%
Population 13,317 +77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Braxton County
Income $50,331 +19%
Home value $117,900 +8%
Population 11,885 +58%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CLAY COUNTY VS
Kanawha County
Income $60,943 +44%
Home value $147,300 +35%
Population 172,381 +2187%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Clay County, West Virginia? Clay County, West Virginia has about 7,835 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Clay County, West Virginia? The typical household in Clay County, West Virginia earns about $42,318 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Clay County, West Virginia expensive? In Clay County, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $109,100, and the typical rent is about $651 a month.
How educated are people in Clay County, West Virginia? About 11.3% of adults age 25 and over in Clay County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Clay County, West Virginia? About 26.4% of people in Clay County, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Clay County, West Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Clay County, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,148 residents, a change of about -22 percent over that period.
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