Clay County, West Virginia 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.
-
D
Clay County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $43,805 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,985 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.0% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 27% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Clay County (3.2%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Clay County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the West Virginia average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clay County, West Virginia grew by 41.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $43,805 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.587 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,029 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,868 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 33.0% | 23.0% | 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 0.587, higher than West Virginia's 0.554, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 49% more than women's income in Clay County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 49% wage gap accumulates to roughly $740,635 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, West Virginia has narrowed from about 40% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2021, and was narrowest at 23% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,388 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 11.7% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.4% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 32 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 326 people are unemployed in Clay County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Clay County is 32 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, West Virginia has risen from 7.6% to 11.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.6% in 2021.
Clay County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, WV is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,835 residents against a local median of 13,786. Clay County, WV's unemployment, at 11.7%, runs 31% above the 8.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.2%/yr against a local median of 3.9%/yr, 18% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Clay County, WV reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.8% on unemployment, so Clay County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, WV 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, WV | 7,835 | $43,805 #5/6 | 3.2%/yr #5/6 | 11.7% #6/6 | 0.587 #5/6 |
| Nicholas County, WV | 24,277 | $54,729 | 4.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.566 |
| Roane County, WV | 13,786 | $45,941 | 3.9%/yr | 8.9% | 0.567 |
| Calhoun County, WV | 6,048 | $43,255 | 1.3%/yr | 8.9% | 0.587 |
| Braxton County, WV | 12,208 | $50,274 | 3.9%/yr | 9.3% | 0.568 |
| Fayette County, WV | 39,515 | $53,782 | 4.5%/yr | 5.6% | 0.545 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than West Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clay County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Clay County, West Virginia?
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 $43,805, about 27% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How fast is household income rising in Clay County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, West Virginia rose 42%, from $30,865 to $43,805. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +42% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, West Virginia was $42,805, up 3% from $41,626 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, West Virginia was $35,194. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $43,805.
How strong is the job market in Clay County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Clay County, West Virginia is 11.7%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.587. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Clay County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 40% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2021, and was narrowest at 23% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,388 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →