Clay County vs Union County
A side-by-side comparison of Clay County and Union County: population, income, housing, and more.
Clay County and Union County are counties in South Dakota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Union County has the higher population (16,916 vs 15,133 in Clay County). Union County has the higher median household income ($84,137 vs $58,794 in Clay County). Union County has the higher median home value ($269,500 vs $221,800 in Clay County).
Population, income & housing
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,133 | 16,916 |
| Median age | 24.5 yrs | 40.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $58,794 | $84,137 |
| Median home value | $221,800 | $269,500 |
| Median gross rent | $736 | $1,055 |
| Housing units | 6,243 | 7,438 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.8% | 71.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.0% | 36.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4% | 3.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,957 → 15,133 (+8.4%) | 15,368 → 16,916 (+10.1%) |
| Median household income | $50,724 → $58,794 (+15.9%) | $70,378 → $84,137 (+19.6%) |
| Median home value | $168,300 → $221,800 (+31.8%) | $179,300 → $269,500 (+50.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $741 → $736 (-0.7%) | $854 → $1,055 (+23.5%) |
Clay County
13,95715,133
$50,724$58,794
$168,300$221,800
$741$736
Union County
15,36816,916
$70,378$84,137
$179,300$269,500
$854$1,055
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 12.6% | 18.9% |
| 18 to 24 | 33.5% | 6.9% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.4% | 11.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.9% | 13.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.4% | 11.8% |
| 75 and over | 4.8% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.4% | 89.0% |
| Black or African American | 2.0% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 2.6% | 0.9% |
| Asian | 3.0% | 1.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.2% | 4.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.1% | 5.1% |
| High school graduate | 25.9% | 28.0% |
| Some college or associate's | 22.0% | 30.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 24.7% | 22.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 21.3% | 13.7% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 73.5% | 82.5% |
| Carpooled | 5.4% | 7.1% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 10.7% | 1.4% |
| Bicycle | 1.9% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 7.7% | 7.5% |
| Other means | 0.5% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 55.9% | 70.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.1% | 4.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 11.2% | 4.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 23.5% | 7.4% |
| 20 or more units | 3.1% | 8.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.3% | 4.3% |
Poverty & households
| Clay County | Union County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.8% | 7.3% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 2.36 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 18 | 19 |
| Median year structure built | 1976 | 1992 |
Full profiles
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