Data / Clay County / Profile

Clay County in figures

A profile of Clay County from official statistics: 21 figures in 5 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Clay County was 16,202 in 2025, down 1.9% from 2024, and the 47th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Population16,2022025Down 1.9% from 2024The 47th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Median age42.3 years2024Up 0.5 years from 2023Tied for the 48th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Population aged 65 and over24.9%2025Up 0.9 percentage points from 2024The 33rd highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Foreign-born population share2.5%2024Up 1.4 percentage points from 2023
Population density11 inhabitants per km²2025Down 1.9% from 2024
Net domestic migration, July to June-2922025, estimatedCompared with -28 in 2024
16.2K16.3K16.4K16.5K16.6K2020202120222023202420252020: 16,341 persons2021: 16,464 persons2022: 16,514 persons2023: 16,537 persons2024: 16,521 persons2025: 16,202 persons
Population, 2020 to 2025. persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km²; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in Clay County was 3% (provisional) in August 2026, down 0.2 percentage points from August 2025, and tied for the 30th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Unemployment rate3%August 2026, provisionalDown 0.2 percentage points from August 2025Tied for the 30th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Median household income$65,4282024Up 2.1% from 2023The 24th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Per capita personal income$69,3232024Up 6.4% from 2023The 18th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Poverty rate (US official measure)11.3%2024Up 0.8 percentage points from 2023
Gini index41.72024Down 0.7 points from 2023
1234562021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-082021-07: 3.6 %2021-08: 3.3 %2021-09: 2.6 %2021-10: 2.7 %2021-11: 2.4 %2021-12: 2.4 %2022-01: 3.6 %2022-02: 2.9 %2022-03: 2.7 %2022-04: 2.1 %2022-05: 2.3 %2022-06: 2.7 %2022-07: 2.7 %2022-08: 3.1 %2022-09: 2.5 %2022-10: 2.8 %2022-11: 2.8 %2022-12: 2.9 %2023-01: 3.6 %2023-02: 3.4 %2023-03: 3.5 %2023-04: 2.3 %2023-05: 2.6 %2023-06: 2.7 %2023-07: 2.9 %2023-08: 2.9 %2023-09: 2.4 %2023-10: 2.7 %2023-11: 2.4 %2023-12: 2.4 %2024-01: 3.2 %2024-02: 2.8 %2024-03: 2.8 %2024-04: 1.9 %2024-05: 2.4 %2024-06: 2.8 %2024-07: 5.2 %2024-08: 5 %2024-09: 3.7 %2024-10: 3.6 %2024-11: 3.4 %2024-12: 3 %2025-01: 3.6 %2025-02: 3.5 %2025-03: 3.5 %2025-04: 2.9 %2025-05: 3.1 %2025-06: 3.2 %2025-07: 3.4 %2025-08: 3.2 %2025-09: 2.8 %2025-11: 2.8 %2025-12: 3 %2026-01: 3.3 %2026-02: 3.1 %2026-03: 3 %2026-04: 2.2 %2026-05: 2.5 %2026-06: 2.8 %2026-07: 2.9 %2026-08: 3 %
Unemployment rate, July 2021 to August 2026. %. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, per capita personal income, current dollars, individual counties and county equivalents; U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). Labor market statistics and rankings

Economy

GDP (US dollars) in Clay County was $1.54 billion in 2024, up 8.4% from 2023, and the 28th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars$1.54 billion2024Up 8.4% from 2023The 28th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
GDP per capita, US dollars$93,4762024Up 8.7% from 2023The 12th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Real GDP growth7.4%2024Up 6.7 percentage points from 2023Tied for the 16th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
5007501,0001,2501,5001,75020012005200920132017202120242001: 539.8 USD million2002: 546.9 USD million2003: 590.5 USD million2004: 650.6 USD million2005: 654.7 USD million2006: 664.7 USD million2007: 722.1 USD million2008: 776.3 USD million2009: 732.9 USD million2010: 792.4 USD million2011: 880.4 USD million2012: 919.3 USD million2013: 925.3 USD million2014: 957.8 USD million2015: 964.8 USD million2016: 910.1 USD million2017: 938.2 USD million2018: 1,025.4 USD million2019: 1,052.8 USD million2020: 1,067.7 USD million2021: 1,190.2 USD million2022: 1,385.7 USD million2023: 1,421.1 USD million2024: 1,539.9 USD million
Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars, 2001 to 2024. USD million. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions).

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions); Invokely, GDP in current dollars (BEA SAGDP2 and CAGDP1) divided by mid-year population (BEA SAINC1 and CAINC1); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. Economy statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Median home value in Clay County was $178,600 in 2024, up 4.1% from 2023, and the 33rd highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Median home value$178,6002024Up 4.1% from 2023The 33rd highest of 99 counties in Iowa
County house price annual change, sales and refinances5.03%2025Up 2.51 percentage points from 2024The 37th highest of 96 counties in Iowa
Median gross rent (monthly)$8112024Up 1.6% from 2023The 47th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
Homeownership rate (US, housing units)73.3%2024Up 0.6 percentage points from 2023
Housing units authorized by building permits612025, estimatedUp 577.8% from 2024
130K140K150K160K170K180K20212022202320242021: 134,000 USD2022: 151,400 USD2023: 171,500 USD2024: 178,600 USD
Median home value, 2021 to 2024. USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units; Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. Housing statistics and rankings

Business and tourism

Employer firms in Clay County were 496 in 2023, unchanged from 2022, and the 29th highest of 99 counties in Iowa.

Employer firms4962023Unchanged from 2022The 29th highest of 99 counties in Iowa
Farms7302022No 2021 figure to compareThe 30th lowest of 99 counties in Iowa
48050052054056058019992003200720112015201920231999: 567 count2000: 564 count2001: 570 count2002: 564 count2003: 560 count2004: 561 count2005: 556 count2006: 564 count2007: 556 count2008: 549 count2009: 553 count2010: 552 count2011: 545 count2012: 538 count2013: 528 count2014: 529 count2015: 526 count2016: 521 count2017: 522 count2018: 533 count2019: 515 count2020: 508 count2021: 501 count2022: 496 count2023: 496 count
Employer firms, 1999 to 2023. count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties; U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Companies statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b01002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/counties/asrh/cc-est2025-agesex-all.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  5. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  8. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  9. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC1: county annual personal income summary, per capita personal income, current dollars, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19083.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  12. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP1: county GDP summary, current-dollar GDP (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions). https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP1.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  13. Invokely calculation from GDP in current dollars (BEA SAGDP2 and CAGDP1) divided by mid-year population (BEA SAINC1 and CAINC1). https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#gdp_per_capita_usd. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  14. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAGDP11: annual percent change in real GDP, all industry total, individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAGDP11.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  15. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25077.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  16. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted. https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/annual/hpi_at_county.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  17. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  18. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  19. U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  20. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  21. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).

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