Population 16,461 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Clay County
Household size in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.18 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.22 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Clay County is a place of small households, averaging 2.25 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.18 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.9 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.3 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.2 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Clay County is 43.2 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 41.9 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.1% of households in Clay County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only seven of Iowa's 99 counties have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 County
Renters in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.4% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.1% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.7% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Clay County rent their homes (26.7%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 46.8% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.7 points, even as the national share rose.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Clay County than nationally: 11.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Clay County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southwest.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $507 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $616 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $765 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $800 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$292 | +$351 | +$606 |
The median renter in Clay County pays $800 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $292 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the center.
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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.9% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Clay County (27.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Compared with other Iowa counties, though, Clay County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.3% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.8% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.2% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Clay County is above the national rate: 93.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Iowa. The share with a diploma is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 County
| Period | Clay County | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Clay County runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.2 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 2.25 | 43.2 | 6.1% | 26.7% | 11.4% | 1963 | $800 | 27.3% | 93.2% | 3.5% |
| Palo Alto County | 2.27 | 42.0 | 8.1% | 22.9% | 16.7% | 1957 | $690 | 19.3% | 93.6% | 2.3% |
| O'Brien County | 2.39 | 41.4 | 6.6% | 23.9% | 10.9% | 1961 | $789 | 22.2% | 90.3% | 1.1% |
| Kossuth County | 2.22 | 45.3 | 6.2% | 21.4% | 9.7% | 1961 | $1,063 | 23.4% | 95.3% | 2.1% |
| Sioux County | 2.69 | 34.4 | 6.0% | 23.9% | 5.1% | 1973 | $904 | 31.4% | 91.4% | 1.4% |
| Hancock County | 2.26 | 45.9 | 8.8% | 17.5% | 8.8% | 1960 | $795 | 20.4% | 91.4% | 1.9% |
| Cerro Gordo County | 2.15 | 45.9 | 9.4% | 29.6% | 14.9% | 1962 | $894 | 25.2% | 94.9% | 2.9% |
| Floyd County | 2.37 | 43.6 | 9.5% | 23.4% | 11.9% | 1953 | $738 | 18.1% | 95.4% | 3.0% |
| Chickasaw County | 2.36 | 43.1 | 7.5% | 19.1% | 9.6% | 1966 | $717 | 21.3% | 93.7% | 1.7% |
| Winneshiek County | 2.25 | 44.8 | 4.2% | 25.8% | 11.2% | 1962 | $890 | 31.7% | 96.1% | 2.1% |
| Charles Mix County | 2.97 | 36.5 | 11.1% | 27.7% | 16.2% | 1971 | $766 | 26.1% | 91.2% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Morgan County, UT · Lewis County, WV · Lexington City, VA · Liberty County, FL · Limestone County, TX · Lincoln County, AR · Lincoln County, GA · Luna County, NM · Montezuma County, CO · Moore County, TX
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 County. 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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