Clay County, Tennessee
Located in Tennessee, Clay County has a population of 7,670 residents and a median age of 48.5 years, making it the #2,675 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 24.2%. The median home value is $136,400, and the median household income is $39,972, which is 47% below the national median.
Demographics
Clay County has a population of 7,670, making it the #2,675 most populous county in the US. The median age is 48.5 years, which is 24.7% 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 $39,972, ranking #3,075 out of 3,222 counties — 46.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 24.2% and unemployment stands at 10.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Clay County is $136,400 (-51.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $557/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Clay County, 11.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 65.9% below the national average, ranking #3,133 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Clay County is 71.9 years. 24.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
25.1% of adults in Clay County smoke , 39.4% are obese , and 16.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 47.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 30.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 29.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
29.8% of children in Clay County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 24.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Clay County is 58.4%. The mean commute time is 30.3 min, which is 9.7% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Clay County voted Republican with a margin of 66.6%. The vote was 16.3% Dem / 82.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 9.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Clay County, Tennessee
Clay County, Tennessee has a total population of 7,670, making it the 2,675th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Clay County is 48.5 years, which is 24.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Clay County is $39,972, which ranks #3,075 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 46.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 24.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 10.0%.
The median home value in Clay County is $136,400, 51.6% below the national median. Renters in Clay County pay a median gross rent of $557 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Clay County, 11.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 65.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 30.3 min.
Clay County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.8% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
All data for Clay County, Tennessee 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.