Clay County, Mississippi
Located in Mississippi, Clay County has a population of 18,383 residents and a median age of 39.8 years, making it the #1,968 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 20.9%. The median home value is $129,100, and the median household income is $43,125, which is 43% below the national median.
Demographics
Clay County has a population of 18,383, making it the #1,968 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.8 years, which is 2.3% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Clay County is $43,125, ranking #3,006 out of 3,222 counties — 42.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 20.9% and unemployment stands at 7.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Clay County is $129,100 (-54.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $817/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Clay County, 17.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 48.7% below the national average, ranking #2,447 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Clay County is 72.5 years. 28.1% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.4% of adults in Clay County smoke , 42.6% are obese , and 14.1% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Clay County is 8.9 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 13.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 21.6 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
31.1% of children in Clay County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 13.4 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 31.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Clay County is 68.0%. The mean commute time is 23.8 min, which is 13.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Clay County voted Democratic with a margin of 10.4%. The vote was 54.8% Dem / 44.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Clay County, Mississippi
Clay County, Mississippi has a total population of 18,383, making it the 1,968th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Clay County is 39.8 years, which is 2.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Clay County is $43,125, which ranks #3,006 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 42.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 20.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.2%.
The median home value in Clay County is $129,100, 54.2% below the national median. Renters in Clay County pay a median gross rent of $817 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Clay County, 17.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 48.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 90.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.8 min.
Clay County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Black (non-Hispanic) at 60.2% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (36.8%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
All data for Clay County, Mississippi comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.