Clay County, Arkansas Demographics 2026

Name: Clay County, Arkansas Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Clay County, Arkansas has a population of 14,280, the 51st most populous county in Arkansas. The median household income is $51,481 and the median home value is $94,600. The poverty rate is 17.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Clay County Quick Facts

Population 14,280

Median Household Income $51,481

Median Home Value $94,600

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment Rate 6.3%

Median Age 42.7 years

Homeownership Rate 74.7%

Affordability Ratio 1.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 15.3%

High School Graduation 87.5%

Cities/Places 12

Population 14,280 51st of 75

Median Income $51,481 15% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment 6.3%

How Clay County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	14,399	14,280	-0.8%
Median household income	$48,500	$51,481	+6.1%
Median home value	$88,100	$94,600	+7.4%

Median Household Income

Clay

$51,481

$60,773

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Clay

$94,600

$188,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.8%

$25K-$50K 25.5%

$50K-$100K 31.5%

$100K+ 20.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.0%

$10K-$15K

6.1%

$15K-$20K

7.1%

$20K-$25K

4.7%

$25K-$30K

5.6%

$30K-$35K

6.2%

$35K-$40K

5.0%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

10.0%

$60K-$75K

9.0%

$75K-$100K

12.5%

$100K-$125K

12.2%

$125K-$150K

2.3%

$150K-$200K

3.9%

$200K+

1.7%

Employment

6.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

56.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.7%

Renter 25.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $707/mo 16.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.5%

18-34

19.8%

35-54

23.0%

55-74

25.9%

75+

9.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 51 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Clay County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Piggott	3,555	$44,468	21.4%	$115,500
Corning	3,134	$50,408	14.8%	$89,500
Rector	1,750	$47,760	20.2%	$91,300
Greenway	261	$39,375	27.6%	$46,300
St. Francis	177	$37,188	11.3%	$47,800
Knobel	158	$98,242	12.0%	$9,999
Pollard	143	$44,167	9.9%	$81,700
McDougal	116	$50,625	13.8%	$81,400
Success	92	$41,250	17.4%	N/A
Peach Orchard	86	N/A	20.9%	$48,300
Datto	67	$36,667	22.4%	$52,500
Nimmons	22	$30,938	22.7%	N/A

Explore Arkansas Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Clay County is located in Arkansas with a total population of 14,280. It is the 51st most populous county out of 75 in Arkansas. The county encompasses 12 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clay County is 42.7 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 38.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clay County is $51,481. This is 15% lower than the state median of $60,773. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.2%. This is 8% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.0%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 28% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $94,600. Housing costs are 50% lower than the state median of $188,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Clay County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Clay County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.1%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 14.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 9.0%. The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

15.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 41% lower than the state rate of 25.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Clay County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Arkansas and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Clay County, Arkansas?

Clay County has a population of 14,280, making it the 51st most populous county in Arkansas.

What is the median income in Clay County?

The median household income in Clay County is $51,481 with a poverty rate of 17.2%.

How many cities are in Clay County, Arkansas?

Clay County contains 12 Census-designated places.