Clay County, West Virginia Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Clay County, WV Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below averageLess healthy than 81% of counties in West Virginia
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in West Virginia
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 3 least educated counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,835 | 1,778,099 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 22.8 | 73.4 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.76% | -0.47% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.5 | 40.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,972 | 728,564 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Clay County declined by 22.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,835 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Clay County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.3% of residents. That is 1.1 points above West Virginia as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,424 18.2% -1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,363 17.4% -1.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,743 22.2% +1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,745 22.3% +1.1 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 West Virginia, 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 50.0% of the people living in Clay County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% West Virginia 50.3%
- Men 50.0% West Virginia 49.7%
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 D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,805 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.21% | 4.26% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.7% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 27% lower than in West Virginia.
Housing
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $96,315 | $94,699 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $651 | $871 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 74.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Clay County is about 12.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $651 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Clay County spend about 64 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 268 hours, about 11.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 32.2 | 21.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 64.3 | 43.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 268 | 180 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $8,308 | $5,581 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,503 | 7,243 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 319 | 1,052 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
West Virginia:
Randolph County (16.4 min), Ohio County (17.0 min), Pocahontas County (17.2 min).
Slowest:
Hampshire County (40.3 min), Morgan County (35.8 min), Monroe County (33.7 min).
The average commute time in Clay County is 32 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in West Virginia.
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 F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 21.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.62 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
West Virginia:
Monongalia County (0.4), Ohio County (0.3), Jefferson County (0.3).
Lowest:
McDowell County (0.1), Lincoln County (0.2), Clay County (0.2).
Health
Clay County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.0 | 76.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 27.1% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 29.8% | 25.3% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
West Virginia:
Monongalia County (0.8), Jefferson County (0.8), Putnam County (0.8).
Lowest:
McDowell County (0.7), Lincoln County (0.8), Mingo County (0.8).
Clay County, WV Compared With Nearby Counties
How Clay County, WV compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, WV | 7,835 | $43,805 #3/3 | $96,315 #2/3 | 32.2 min #3/3 |
| Nicholas County, WV | 24,277 | $54,729 | $97,812 | 21.6 min |
| Fayette County, WV | 39,515 | $53,782 | $54,853 | 23.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Clay County, West Virginia.
What is the population of Clay County, West Virginia?
About 7,835 people live in Clay County, West Virginia, in 2,972 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 45.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 8 years.
How densely populated is Clay County, West Virginia?
Averaged over its land area, Clay County, West Virginia has 23 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 26% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Clay County, West Virginia an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.2 times the median household income ($96,315 against $43,805), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $651 a month takes about 18% 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, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Clay County, West Virginia is 11.7%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Clay County, West Virginia?
12.8% of adults in Clay County, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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