Clay County, West Virginia
Located in West Virginia, Clay County has a population of 7,835 residents and a median age of 45.4 years, making it the #2,662 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 26.4%. The median home value is $109,100, and the median household income is $42,318, which is 44% below the national median.
Demographics
Clay County has a population of 7,835, making it the #2,662 most populous county in the US. The median age is 45.4 years, which is 16.7% 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 $42,318, ranking #3,019 out of 3,222 counties — 43.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 26.4% and unemployment stands at 11.7%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Clay County is $109,100 (-61.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $651/mo and the homeownership rate is 76.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Clay County, 11.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 66.4% below the national average, ranking #3,145 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Clay County is 69.3 years. 27.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
25.8% of adults in Clay County smoke , 42.5% are obese , and 16.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 83.2 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Clay County is 15.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 24.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 39.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
30.5% of children in Clay County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 37.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Clay County is 50.4%. The mean commute time is 43.9 min, which is 59.1% 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 62.3%. The vote was 17.9% Dem / 80.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Clay County, West Virginia
Clay County, West Virginia has a total population of 7,835, making it the 2,662nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Clay County is 45.4 years, which is 16.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Clay County is $42,318, which ranks #3,019 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 43.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 26.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 11.7%.
The median home value in Clay County is $109,100, 61.3% below the national median. Renters in Clay County pay a median gross rent of $651 per month. The homeownership rate is 76.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Clay County, 11.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 66.4% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 43.9 min.
Clay County is a community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 96.8% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (2.9%).
All data for Clay County, West Virginia 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.