Clay County, Tennessee 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 averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $39,958 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,224 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.3% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.5% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 43% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing slower in Clay County (4.5%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Clay County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clay County, Tennessee grew by 23.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $39,958 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.548 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,279 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,349 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.0% | 19.2% | 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 0.548, higher than Tennessee's 0.542, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in Clay County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $207,550 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, Tennessee has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2020, and was narrowest at 2% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,384 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.0% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.3% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 294 people are unemployed in Clay County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Clay County is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, Tennessee has risen from 8.1% to 10.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 4.1% in 2021.
Clay County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, TN is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,670 residents against a local median of 12,029. Clay County, TN's unemployment, at 10.0%, runs 150% above the 4.0% 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: $39,958 against a local median of $48,710, 18% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Clay County, TN reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.5% on unemployment, so Clay County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, TN 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, TN | 7,670 | $39,958 #6/6 | 4.5%/yr #4/6 | 10.0% #6/6 | 0.548 #4/6 |
| Jackson County, TN | 12,029 | $47,224 | 5.0%/yr | 7.6% | 0.549 |
| Monroe County, KY | 11,269 | $52,443 | 5.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.519 |
| Cumberland County, KY | 5,948 | $39,999 | 2.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.526 |
| Overton County, TN | 23,065 | $48,710 | 4.4%/yr | 3.2% | 0.545 |
| Putnam County, TN | 82,558 | $58,838 | 6.1%/yr | 3.7% | 0.556 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Tennessee, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clay County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Clay County, Tennessee?
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 $39,958, about 43% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
Are incomes growing in Clay County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, Tennessee rose 24%, from $32,281 to $39,958. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Tennessee as a whole: +24% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, Tennessee was $44,695, up 12% from $39,789 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, Tennessee was $33,137. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $39,958.
How strong is the job market in Clay County, Tennessee?
Unemployment in Clay County, Tennessee is 10.0%, well above the Tennessee rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.548. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Clay County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 15% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2020, and was narrowest at 2% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,384 since 2009.
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