Population 15,219 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Clay County
Household size in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.24 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.48 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Clay County is a place of small households, averaging 2.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the south. Clay County has smaller households than at least four in five South Dakota counties.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.8 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.4 | 38.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.0 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.2 | 38.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.6 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
Clay County is young: half of its residents are under 30.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has dropped from 31.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Of South Dakota's 66 counties, only six are younger.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Clay County: 6.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.4 points, even as the national share fell.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.5% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.0% | 32.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.3% | 32.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.2% | 31.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Clay County than nationally: 49.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. About a third of owners (34.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 7.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other South Dakota county has a higher share of renters.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 10.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Clay County than nationally: 12.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Compared with other South Dakota counties, though, Clay County has a lower vacancy rate than most.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1977 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +16 | +9 | +6 |
Homes in Clay County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $592 | $631 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $663 | $692 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $872 | $798 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $819 | $1,000 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$227 | +$369 | +$606 |
The median renter in Clay County pays $819 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $227 a month from 2006–10, a 38% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the southeast.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7% | 26.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.9% | 27.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.7% | 29.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.3% | 32.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than four in ten adults 25 and older in Clay County (44.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other South Dakota county has a higher share of college graduates.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.8% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.7% | 91.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.8% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.6% | 93.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Clay County have finished high school as nationally: 90.6%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in South Dakota as a whole (93.1%). The share with a diploma has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 | South Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 4.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 4.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Clay County than nationally: unemployment was 7.2%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged up 1.4 points, even as the national rate fell. 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 | 2.24 | 30.2 | 6.5% | 49.2% | 12.4% | 1978 | $819 | 44.3% | 90.6% | 7.2% |
| Yankton County | 2.25 | 42.8 | 8.4% | 27.3% | 9.7% | 1978 | $808 | 32.2% | 93.6% | 1.4% |
| Plymouth County | 2.49 | 41.9 | 8.8% | 26.4% | 6.0% | 1970 | $891 | 21.6% | 94.6% | 2.3% |
| Bon Homme County | 2.24 | 42.3 | 5.4% | 19.5% | 15.1% | 1959 | $690 | 20.1% | 91.2% | 2.3% |
| Cherokee County | 2.26 | 45.1 | 6.8% | 24.5% | 9.3% | 1957 | $750 | 24.5% | 93.2% | 2.5% |
| Boyd County | 2.22 | 53.5 | 7.3% | 14.4% | 35.1% | 1954 | $706 | 22.0% | 96.5% | 2.3% |
| Pocahontas County | 2.31 | 43.4 | 7.2% | 22.7% | 17.4% | 1950 | $801 | 19.0% | 90.7% | 5.4% |
| Humboldt County | 2.25 | 43.3 | 13.3% | 22.8% | 9.1% | 1959 | $798 | 19.5% | 93.2% | 5.7% |
| Keya Paha County | 2.72 | 48.5 | 3.6% | 19.2% | 38.2% | 1967 | $875 | 20.6% | 96.4% | 1.0% |
| Wright County | 2.41 | 40.1 | 13.4% | 23.0% | 14.6% | 1960 | $845 | 24.6% | 91.6% | 1.9% |
| Franklin County | 2.35 | 45.8 | 10.2% | 27.6% | 10.9% | 1950 | $730 | 19.5% | 90.2% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hansford County, TX · Socorro County, NM · Hamilton County, NY · Hamilton County, TX · Smith County, TN · Smith County, MS · Hampton County, SC · Hancock County, GA · Hancock County, IL · Hancock County, KY
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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