Clay City, IL Demographics

Population 1,283 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Clay City, IL map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Clay City

Household size in Clay City

Household size, people per household
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–102.372.692.68
2010–142.542.712.73
2015–192.392.662.71
2020–242.462.582.65
Change+0.10−0.11−0.03
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The average household in Clay City has 2.46 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.37, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.

Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).

Median age in Clay City

Median age, years
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–1049.437.637.7
2010–1448.338.538.6
2015–1935.139.639.6
2020–2444.940.240.1
Change−4.5+2.6+2.3
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With a median age of 44.9, Clay City is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.

Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).

Single-parent households in Clay City

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–1013.5%11.7%12.3%
2010–1412.8%11.7%12.3%
2015–1910.8%11.1%11.6%
2020–2411.6%11.3%11.6%
Change−1.9 pts−0.4 pts−0.6 pts
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Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Clay City (11.6%), the same as the national share.

Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).

Housing in Clay City

Renters in Clay City

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–1016.8%30.8%33.3%
2010–1411.2%33.1%35.6%
2015–1931.1%33.9%36.0%
2020–2415.0%32.9%34.8%
Change−1.8 pts+2.1 pts+1.5 pts
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Clay City is largely a place of homeowners: only 15.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About half of owners (51.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.

Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).

Vacant homes in Clay City

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–1014.4%10.0%11.4%
2010–1415.7%10.1%11.4%
2015–1915.1%9.8%11.1%
2020–2414.9%8.1%9.6%
Change+0.4 pts−1.9 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Clay City: 14.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).

Age of homes in Clay City

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–10196419661974
2010–14196819671975
2015–19197319681977
2020–24198519701980
Change+21+4+6
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Homes in Clay City are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S.

Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).

Rent in Clay City

Rent, per month
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–10$480$953$965
2010–14$468$1,028$1,040
2015–19$532$1,165$1,213
2020–24$637$1,428$1,571
Change+$157+$475+$606
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Rent in Clay City runs $637 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 45.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.

Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).

Education in Clay City

Bachelor's degrees in Clay City

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–1012.7%31.2%28.4%
2010–1410.0%32.4%29.6%
2015–1913.9%34.7%32.1%
2020–246.6%37.7%35.6%
Change−6.2 pts+6.5 pts+7.2 pts
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College degrees are relatively uncommon in Clay City: 6.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.

Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

High school graduates in Clay City

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–1084.1%86.3%84.9%
2010–1480.8%87.5%86.1%
2015–1992.6%89.1%87.7%
2020–2491.7%90.3%89.3%
Change+7.5 pts+4.0 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Clay City is a bit above the national rate: 91.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Illinois as a whole looks much the same.

High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

Jobs in Clay City

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodClay CityIllinoisU.S.
2006–107.8%8.7%8.1%
2010–144.0%10.2%9.4%
2015–190.8%6.1%5.6%
2020–245.1%6.0%5.4%
Change−2.7 pts−2.7 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Clay City is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Illinois as a whole (6.0%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.

Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).

Clay City compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Clay City2.4644.911.6%15.0%14.9%1985$6376.6%91.7%5.1%
Sailor Springs2.0959.713.0%16.1%10.7%1980$75112.8%89.2%5.1%
Noble2.5142.210.0%17.1%11.1%1976$6119.4%87.0%4.2%
Flora2.3540.213.7%21.4%16.6%1967$73512.9%91.3%3.8%
Wynoose2.4748.15.4%6.7%16.0%1975$86016.0%87.6%2.0%
Rinard2.6739.74.4%16.0%9.0%1991$67524.2%89.2%3.3%
Passport2.3849.74.9%19.4%14.2%1977$61315.4%93.8%1.0%
Enterprise2.5836.67.2%13.4%24.7%1969$77424.6%91.9%4.0%
Louisville2.3841.516.0%32.2%12.4%1975$73312.6%87.8%7.5%
Ingraham2.3851.112.7%9.4%19.3%1978$75016.8%89.4%2.7%
Iola2.2550.09.4%14.8%9.0%1989$77712.1%90.7%7.1%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Koran, LA · Satanta, KS · Sanator, SD · Rock Point, AZ · Redwood, TX · McPherson, GA · Marydel, MD · Leona Valley, CA · Lebec, CA · Lamy, NM

About these numbers

Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Clay City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.

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