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 located in the state of West Virginia in the United States. In 2020, about 8,051 people lived there. The main town and county seat (where the local government is) is called Clay.
The county was started in 1858. It was named after Henry Clay, a very important American statesman from the 1800s. He was a member of the United States Senate for Kentucky and also served as the United States Secretary of State. Clay County is part of the larger Charleston, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
Exploring Clay County's Geography
Clay County covers a total area of about 344 square miles. Most of this area, about 342 square miles, is land. The rest, about 1.9 square miles, is water.
For local government, Clay County is divided into different areas called magisterial districts. These districts help manage local services. Even though a major highway runs through the county, there are no traffic lights or public transportation systems like buses.
Major Highways in the Area
Interstate 79
West Virginia Route 4
West Virginia Route 16
West Virginia Route 36
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Neighboring Counties
Clay County shares borders with several other counties:
- Calhoun County (to the north)
- Braxton County (to the northeast)
- Nicholas County (to the southeast)
- Kanawha County (to the west)
- Roane County (to the northwest)
People and Population in Clay County
| Historical population | |||
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| 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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The population of Clay County has changed over the years. In 2010, there were 9,386 people living here. The county had about 27.5 people per square mile.
Most people in Clay County are white. A small number of people are from other backgrounds, including American Indian, Black or African American, and Asian. Some people also identify as being of Hispanic or Latino origin.
The average age of people in Clay County in 2010 was about 41.5 years old. This means half the population was younger than 41.5, and half was older.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Clay (Virginia Occidental) para niños
