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Clay County, Kentucky facts for kids

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Clay County
Clay County courthouse in Manchester
Clay County courthouse in Manchester
Map of Kentucky highlighting Clay County
Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky
Map of the United States highlighting Kentucky
Kentucky's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kentucky
Founded 1807
Named for Green Clay
Seat Manchester
Largest city Manchester
Area
 • Total 471 sq mi (1,220 km2)
 • Land 469 sq mi (1,210 km2)
 • Water 1.8 sq mi (5 km2)  0.4%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 20,345
 • Estimate 
(2023)
19,648 Decrease
 • Density 43.20/sq mi (16.678/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 5th

Clay County is a county located in the state of Kentucky in the United States. In 2020, about 20,345 people lived here. The county seat, which is like the main town for government, is Manchester.

Clay County was created in 1807. It was named after Green Clay, who was an important person in Kentucky's early history. He was a relative of Henry Clay, a famous U.S. Senator and Secretary of State.

History of Clay County

Clay County was formed in 1807 from parts of three other counties: Floyd, Knox, and Madison. An important event in its history was when the county courthouse burned down in January 1936.

Geography of Clay County

Clay County covers a total area of about 471 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Neighboring Counties

Clay County shares its borders with several other counties:

Rivers and Creeks

Many important water bodies flow through Clay County. These include:

Population Facts

Historical population
Census Pop.
1810 2,398
1820 4,393 83.2%
1830 3,548 −19.2%
1840 4,607 29.8%
1850 5,421 17.7%
1860 6,652 22.7%
1870 8,297 24.7%
1880 10,222 23.2%
1890 12,447 21.8%
1900 15,364 23.4%
1910 17,789 15.8%
1920 19,795 11.3%
1930 18,526 −6.4%
1940 23,901 29.0%
1950 23,116 −3.3%
1960 20,748 −10.2%
1970 18,481 −10.9%
1980 22,752 23.1%
1990 21,746 −4.4%
2000 24,556 12.9%
2010 21,730 −11.5%
2020 20,345 −6.4%
2023 (est.) 19,648 −9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2010, there were 21,730 people living in Clay County. The population density was about 52 people per square mile. The average age of people living in the county was 35 years old.

Towns and Communities

Clay County has one main city and several smaller communities.

City

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities:

Unincorporated Towns and Villages

These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or census-designated place:

Post Offices

Many communities in Clay County have had, or still have, their own post offices. Here are a few examples:

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