Clay County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Clay County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Clay County Well below averageLess wealthy than 73% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $43,569 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $39,433 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.7% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.4% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.3% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 23% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing slower in Clay County (3.7%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Clay County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Mississippi average of 7%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clay County, Mississippi grew by 40.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $43,569 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.527 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,444 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $35,522 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.1% | 22.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Clay County, it is 0.527, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 34% more than women's income in Clay County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 34% wage gap accumulates to roughly $417,270 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Mississippi has widened from about 17% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2016, and was narrowest at 16% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,354 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Clay County widened by 8.5 points while Mississippi's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.6% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 586 people are unemployed in Clay County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Clay County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, Mississippi has fallen from 18.1% to 7.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.7% in 2023.
Clay County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, MS is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 18,383 residents against a local median of 33,747. Clay County, MS's unemployment, at 7.2%, runs 20% above the 6.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $43,569 against a local median of $51,586, 16% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Clay County, MS reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.8% on unemployment, so Clay County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, MS has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, MS | 18,383 | $43,569 #5/6 | 3.7%/yr #5/6 | 7.2% #6/6 | 0.527 #3/6 |
| Oktibbeha County, MS | 51,791 | $46,668 | 4.0%/yr | 5.8% | 0.619 |
| Chickasaw County, MS | 16,915 | $43,354 | 4.1%/yr | 4.9% | 0.521 |
| Monroe County, MS | 33,747 | $51,586 | 3.9%/yr | 6.3% | 0.561 |
| Lowndes County, MS | 57,838 | $53,630 | 3.3%/yr | 6.0% | 0.554 |
| Webster County, MS | 9,972 | $59,275 | 6.0%/yr | 6.6% | 0.517 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Mississippi, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clay County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Clay County, Mississippi?
Clay County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $43,569, about 23% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
How has median household income changed in Clay County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, Mississippi rose 40%, from $31,127 to $43,569. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Mississippi as a whole: +40% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, Mississippi was $39,912, up 6% from $37,499 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, Mississippi was $33,447. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $43,569.
Is it hard to find a job in Clay County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Clay County, Mississippi is 7.2%, well above the Mississippi rate of 5.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.527. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Clay County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Mississippi has widened from about 17% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2016, and was narrowest at 16% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,354 since 2009.
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