Clay County, Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Clay County, NE Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Clay County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,095 | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 10.6 | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.44% | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.0 | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,490 | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Clay County declined by 3.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 6,095 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Clay County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.6% of residents. That is 3.2 points above Nebraska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,119 18.4% -4.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,041 17.1% -3.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,317 21.6% +3.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,235 20.3% +4.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Nebraska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.7% of the people living in Clay County and men 50.3%.
- Women 49.7% Nebraska 49.9%
- Men 50.3% Nebraska 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Clay County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Clay County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Clay County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,476 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.31% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 1% higher than in Nebraska.
Housing
| Metric | Clay County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $46,249 | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $644 | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.9% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Clay County is about 6.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $644 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Clay County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 170 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Clay County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.4 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 40.9 | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 170 | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,283 | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,908 | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 472 | 691 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Nebraska:
Hooker County (7.4 min), Cherry County (8.0 min), Box Butte County (8.0 min).
Slowest:
Cass County (28.0 min), Banner County (27.2 min), Saunders County (26.9 min).
The average commute time in Clay County is 20 minutes, longer than the 17 minutes in Nebraska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Clay County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Clay County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Nebraska:
Sarpy County (0.3), Lancaster County (0.3), Douglas County (0.3).
Lowest:
Dakota County (0.2), Colfax County (0.2), Dawson County (0.2).
Health
Clay County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Clay County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.1% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.9% | 16.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Nebraska:
Wayne County (0.8), Sarpy County (0.8), Lancaster County (0.8).
Lowest:
Thurston County (0.8), Pawnee County (0.8), Dundy County (0.8).
Clay County, NE Compared With Nearby Counties
How Clay County, NE compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, NE | 6,095 | $77,476 #1/2 | $46,249 #2/2 | 20.4 min #2/2 |
| Adams County, NE | 31,052 | $68,670 | $117,856 | 12.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Clay County, Nebraska.
What is the population of Clay County, Nebraska?
About 6,095 people live in Clay County, Nebraska, in 2,490 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 38.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Clay County, Nebraska?
Averaged over its land area, Clay County, Nebraska has 11 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 12% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Clay County, Nebraska?
The median home costs 0.6 times the median household income ($46,249 against $77,476), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $644 a month takes about 10% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Clay County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Clay County, Nebraska is only 1.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Clay County, Nebraska?
20.7% of adults in Clay County, Nebraska hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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