Clayton County, Iowa Demographics 2026

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

Clayton County, Iowa has a population of 17,013, the 41st most populous county in Iowa. The median household income is $67,242 and the median home value is $168,500. The poverty rate is 10.9%.

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

Clayton County Quick Facts

Population 17,013

Median Household Income $67,242

Median Home Value $168,500

Poverty Rate 10.9%

Unemployment Rate 2.5%

Median Age 46.4 years

Homeownership Rate 78.0%

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.5%

High School Graduation 92.6%

Cities/Places 17

Population 17,013 41st of 99

Median Income $67,242 10% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.9%

Unemployment 2.5%

How Clayton 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	17,069	17,013	-0.3%
Median household income	$62,326	$67,242	+7.9%
Median home value	$155,700	$168,500	+8.2%

Median Household Income

Clayton

$67,242

$75,059

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Clayton

$168,500

$208,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.8%

$25K-$50K 22.4%

$50K-$100K 32.3%

$100K+ 31.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.0%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

3.3%

$20K-$25K

2.6%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

3.4%

$45K-$50K

4.7%

$50K-$60K

8.4%

$60K-$75K

10.9%

$75K-$100K

13.0%

$100K-$125K

12.7%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

8.5%

$200K+

4.2%

Employment

2.5% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

61.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.0%

Renter 22.0%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $790/mo 14.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.6%

18-34

16.8%

35-54

21.1%

55-74

29.8%

75+

10.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

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

State average: 31 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Clayton County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Postville	2,979	$49,485	23.7%	$104,700
Guttenberg	1,782	$57,599	24.7%	$193,900
Monona	1,531	$74,286	7.3%	$140,800
Elkader	1,293	$62,857	9.6%	$143,200
Strawberry Point	1,267	$57,778	11.3%	$114,700
Garnavillo	816	$75,357	12.3%	$123,100
McGregor	719	$57,361	12.4%	$161,100
Marquette	443	$42,292	22.6%	$164,400
Farmersburg	375	$51,667	12.8%	$78,000
Luana	317	$76,750	8.2%	$152,700
Volga	216	$54,063	6.9%	$80,700
North Buena Vista	139	$51,719	9.3%	$109,400
Osterdock	136	$51,467	43.4%	$87,000
Garber	105	$49,821	32.4%	$80,800
St. Olaf	76	$98,125	8.1%	$84,000
Clayton	57	$47,917	3.5%	$137,500
Elkport	22	N/A	4.5%	$64,200

Explore Iowa 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

Clayton County is located in Iowa with a total population of 17,013. It is the 41st most populous county out of 99 in Iowa. The county encompasses 17 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clayton County is 46.4 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. 10.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clayton County is $67,242. This is 10% lower than the state median of $75,059. It is also 17% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.9%. This is 2% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.1%. The unemployment rate is 2.5%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $168,500. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $208,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Clayton County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 71.7%.

Race & Ethnicity

Clayton County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 3.8%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 7.3%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 2.5%.

Education

14.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 54% lower than the state rate of 31.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Clayton County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Iowa 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 Clayton County, Iowa?

Clayton County has a population of 17,013, making it the 41st most populous county in Iowa.

What is the median income in Clayton County?

The median household income in Clayton County is $67,242 with a poverty rate of 10.9%.

How many cities are in Clayton County, Iowa?

Clayton County contains 17 Census-designated places.