Clay County, North Carolina

1 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 11,391
Median household income: $53,645
Median home value: $263,300

Clay County, North Carolina counts 11,391 residents. 1 cities and places have their primary county here. At $53,645, its median household income sits below North Carolina's $69,904.

From 2019 to 2023, Clay County's population grew 4.1% from 10,946 to 11,391, while its median household income rose 27.1% from $42,222 to $53,645.

13.5% of residents live below the poverty line. Households average 2.24 people.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 11,391
Median age: 54.5 yrs
Median household income: $53,645
Median home value: $263,300
Median gross rent: $791
Housing units: 7,410
Homeownership rate: 79.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 31.4%
Unemployment rate: 4.2%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

10,94611,391

Median household income

$42,222$53,645

Median home value

$180,300$263,300

Median gross rent

$736$791

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	10,946	$42,222	$180,300	$736
2020	11,150	$42,160	$197,600	$682
2021	10,997	$47,155	$208,600	$756
2022	11,186	$57,065	$251,900	$793
2023	11,391	$53,645	$263,300	$791

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.5%

5 to 1711.7%

18 to 246.1%

25 to 346.5%

35 to 4411.0%

45 to 5410.7%

55 to 6417.1%

65 to 7419.3%

75 and over13.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	510	4.5%
5 to 17	1,338	11.7%
18 to 24	700	6.1%
25 to 34	742	6.5%
35 to 44	1,248	11.0%
45 to 54	1,221	10.7%
55 to 64	1,953	17.1%
65 to 74	2,200	19.3%
75 and over	1,479	13.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	10,345	90.8%
Black or African American	202	1.8%
American Indian & Alaska Native	103	0.9%
Asian	88	0.8%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	67	0.6%
Two or more races	137	1.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	449	3.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma10.1%

High school graduate24.9%

Some college or associate's33.6%

Bachelor's degree21.3%

Graduate or professional degree10.2%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	890	10.1%
High school graduate	2,202	24.9%
Some college or associate's	2,973	33.6%
Bachelor's degree	1,880	21.3%
Graduate or professional degree	898	10.2%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 24 min

Drove alone79.3%

Carpooled9.5%

Public transit0.1%

Walked0.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home7.5%

Other means3.6%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	3,265	79.3%
Carpooled	392	9.5%
Public transit	3	0.1%
Walked	2	0.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	308	7.5%
Other means	148	3.6%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,270	33.3%
15 to 29 min	1,372	36.0%
30 to 44 min	786	20.6%
45 to 59 min	127	3.3%
60+ min	255	6.7%

Households

Average household size: 2.24
Poverty rate: 13.5% (1,516 of 11,252)

	Count	Share
Family households	2,958	58.7%
Nonfamily households	2,083	41.3%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1989

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	5,041	68.0%
Vacant	2,369	32.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	4,024	79.8%
Renter-occupied	1,017	20.2%

1-unit, detached81.2%

1-unit, attached0.0%

2 to 4 units3.0%

5 to 19 units0.6%

20 or more units2.9%

Mobile home & other12.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	6,018	81.2%
1-unit, attached	0	0.0%
2 to 4 units	222	3.0%
5 to 19 units	42	0.6%
20 or more units	218	2.9%
Mobile home & other	910	12.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 37043
State: North Carolina
Land area: 215 sq mi
Water area: 5.81 sq mi
Center point: 35.0530, -83.7523