Clay County, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clay County
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The Old Clay County Courthouse in Clay in 2007
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Location within the U.S. state of West Virginia
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 West Virginia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  West Virginia |
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| Founded | March 29, 1858 | |
| Named for | Henry Clay | |
| Seat | Clay | |
| Largest town | Clay | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 344 sq mi (890 km2) | |
| • Land | 342 sq mi (890 km2) | |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) 0.5%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,051 | |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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7,892  |
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| • Density | 23.40/sq mi (9.036/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 1st | |
Clay County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,051. Its county seat is Clay. The county was founded in 1858 and named in honor of Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. Clay County is part of the Charleston, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 344 square miles (890 km2), of which 342 square miles (890 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (0.6%) is water.
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Clay County was divided into four districts: Buffalo, Henry, Pleasant, and Union. A fifth district, Otter, was created from part of Henry in 1876. Between 1990 and 2000, these districts were consolidated into Districts A, B, and C. Though it does have access to an interstate highway, the county has no traffic lights or public transportation.
Major highways
Interstate 79
West Virginia Route 4
West Virginia Route 16
West Virginia Route 36
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Adjacent counties
- Calhoun County (north)
- Braxton County (northeast)
- Nicholas County (southeast)
- Kanawha County (west)
- Roane County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,787 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,196 | 22.9% | |
| 1880 | 3,460 | 57.6% | |
| 1890 | 4,659 | 34.7% | |
| 1900 | 8,248 | 77.0% | |
| 1910 | 10,233 | 24.1% | |
| 1920 | 11,486 | 12.2% | |
| 1930 | 13,125 | 14.3% | |
| 1940 | 15,206 | 15.9% | |
| 1950 | 14,961 | −1.6% | |
| 1960 | 11,942 | −20.2% | |
| 1970 | 9,330 | −21.9% | |
| 1980 | 11,265 | 20.7% | |
| 1990 | 9,983 | −11.4% | |
| 2000 | 10,330 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 9,386 | −9.1% | |
| 2020 | 8,051 | −14.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 7,892 | −15.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 9,386 people, 3,728 households, and 2,566 families living in the county. The population density was 27.5 inhabitants per square mile (10.6/km2). There were 4,572 housing units at an average density of 13.4 per square mile (5.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.8% white, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.6% were Irish, 14.7% were English, 13.2% were German, 11.0% were American, and 5.0% were Dutch.
Of the 3,728 households, 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.2% were non-families, and 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 41.5 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,789 and the median income for a family was $40,634. Males had a median income of $42,269 versus $24,402 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,205. About 22.4% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 21.1% of those age 65 or over.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Clay (Virginia Occidental) para niños
