Clay County, Iowa Population 2024

16,515

Clay County, Iowa's estimated 2024 population is 16,515 with a growth rate of 0.02% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Clay County, Iowa is the 44th largest county in Iowa. The 2010 population was 16,633 and has seen a growth of -0.71% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202916,53540.02%
202816,53140.02%
202716,52740.02%
202616,52340.02%
202516,51940.02%
202416,51540.02%
202316,51140.02%
202216,507530.32%
202116,4541180.72%
202016,3362421.5%
201916,094-73-0.45%
201816,167160.1%
201716,151-150-0.92%
201616,301-197-1.19%
201516,498150.09%
201416,483430.26%
201316,440-100-0.6%
201216,540-58-0.35%
201116,598-35-0.21%
201016,63300%
199017,585-1,991-10.17%
198019,5761,1126.02%
197018,464-40-0.22%
196018,5044012.22%
195018,1033411.92%
194017,7621,65510.28%
193016,1074472.85%
192015,6602,89422.67%
191012,766-635-4.74%
190013,4014,09243.96%
18909,3095,061119.14%
18804,2482,725178.92%
18701,5231,4712828.85%
186052-16,483-99.69%
2024 Growth Rate
0.02% (4)
County Website
Clay County
State
Iowa
County Seat
Spencer
2020 Population
16,336
Area
567 mi²
Density
29 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
1.1% (179)
Founded
1851

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White15,54494.65%
Two or more races5493.34%
Other race1520.93%
Black or African American940.57%
Asian560.34%
Native American280.17%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander00%

White

Two or more races

Other race

Black or African American

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Clay County, Iowa Population by Race

Clay County, Iowa Population Pyramid 2024

Clay County, Iowa Median Age

41.5

Total

40.9

Male

42.4

Female

Clay County, Iowa Adults

There are 12,632 adults, (3,554 of whom are seniors) in Clay County, Iowa.

Clay County, Iowa Age Dependency

80.9

Age Dependency Ratio

39.1

Old Age Dependency Ratio

41.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Clay County, Iowa Sex Ratio

Female8,39451.11%
Male8,02948.89%

Clay County, Iowa Population by Age

Clay County, Iowa Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All7,2252.2372.727.3
Married3,1702.9294.55.5
Non Family3,1501.2359.440.6
Female6723.3628.371.7
Male2332.9483.316.7

2.95

Average Family Size

2.23

Average Household Size

72.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Clay County, Iowa Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade4373.88%
Associates Degree1,47513.1%
Bachelors Degree2,05918.29%
Graduate Degree8707.73%
High School Graduate3,61132.08%
Less Than 9th Grade710.63%
Some College2,73324.28%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Clay County, Iowa Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Clay County, Iowa Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White10,84610,3522,810
Hispanic19318040
2+ Races1411396
Other Race12411928
Asian525244
Black25240
Native American22221

The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 84.62%.

Clay County, Iowa Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$50,633$63,151$45,339
Graduate Degree$70,606$131,042$62,159
High School Graduate$36,066$46,291$21,563
Less Than 9th Grade$35,436$36,346$24,018
Overall$44,969$51,030$35,364
Some College$45,202$51,696$34,873

$44,969

Average Earnings

$51,030

Average Male

$35,364

Average Female

Clay County, Iowa Earnings by Educational Attainment

Clay County, Iowa Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Clay County, Iowa Language

98.22% of Clay County, Iowa residents speak only English, while 1.78% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.3% of the population.

Clay County, Iowa Language

Clay County, Iowa Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White14,8841,3298.93%
Hispanic67135052.16%
Multiple54628652.38%
Black57712.28%
Other14053.57%
Native27311.11%

11.45%

Overall Poverty Rate

9.64%

Male Poverty Rate

13.22%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Clay County, Iowa

The race most likely to be in poverty in Clay County, Iowa is Multiple, with 52.38% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Clay County, Iowa is Other, with 3.57% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.82%. Among those working part-time, it was 20.21%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 10.13%.

Clay County, Iowa Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
High School8.28%
Less Than 9th Grade7.94%
Some College7.87%
Bachelors or Greater4.22%

Clay County, Iowa Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed85.91%
Male Unemployed38.76%
Female Employed10.9%
Male Employed3.54%

Clay County, Iowa Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Clay County, Iowa Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$84,432$99,590
Households$61,756$78,126
Married Families$96,261$-999,999,999
Non Families$37,975$49,231

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Clay County, Iowa Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

50.4%

Overall Marriage Rate

51.7%

Male Marriage Rate

49.1%

Female Marriage Rate

Clay County, Iowa Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Clay County, Iowa Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

Clay County, Iowa Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Clay County, Iowa Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

1,046

Number of Veterans

1,006

Male Veterans

40

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam400
Second Gulf War168
Korea117
First Gulf War111
World War II39

Clay County, Iowa Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
75+342
65 to 74324
55 to 64201
35 to 54125
18 to 3454

Clay County, Iowa Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,0448.65%
Hispanic102.43%
Black11.28%
Native American14%

Clay County, Iowa Veterans by Race

Clay County, Iowa Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

5.03%

Veteran Poverty Rate

30.31%

Veteran Disability Rate

Clay County, Iowa Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

67.4%

Labor Force Participation

64.6%

Employment Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

Clay County, Iowa Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Clay County, Iowa Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Clay County, Iowa Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

73.46%

Born in Clay County, Iowa

99%

Native Born

1%

Foreign Born

0.51%

Non Citizen

0.49%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99% of Clay County, Iowa residents were born in the United States, with 73.46% having been born in Iowa. 0.51% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Clay County, Iowa Place of Birth

Sources