Clay County, South Dakota Demographics 2026
Clay County, South Dakota has a population of 15,219, the 14th most populous county in South Dakota. The median household income is $56,850 and the median home value is $232,300. The poverty rate is 19.7%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Clay County Quick Facts
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 | 15,133 | 15,219 | +0.6% |
| Median household income | $58,794 | $56,850 | -3.3% |
| Median home value | $221,800 | $232,300 | +4.7% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.
State average: 35 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Clay County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion | 11,878 | $50,456 | 24.4% | $219,000 |
| Wakonda | 399 | $61,250 | 20.1% | $107,100 |
| Burbank | 110 | $27,941 | 0.0% | N/A |
| Meckling | 69 | $44,200 | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore South Dakota Rankings
Population Overview
Clay County is located in South Dakota with a total population of 15,219. It is the 14th most populous county out of 66 in South Dakota. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Clay County is 24.9 years. This is 34% lower than the state median of 38.0 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Clay County is $56,850. This is 24% lower than the state median of $75,081. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.7%. This is 65% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.9%. The unemployment rate is 7.0%. This is 139% higher than the state rate of 2.9%. The median home value is $232,300. Housing costs are 10% lower than the state median of $257,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 50.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% lower than the state average of 68.6%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Clay County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.3%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (3.0% vs 1.4%).
Education
45.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Clay County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 42% higher than the state rate of 31.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.3%. Notably, 20.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.
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 South Dakota 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, South Dakota?
Clay County has a population of 15,219, making it the 14th most populous county in South Dakota.
What is the median income in Clay County?
The median household income in Clay County is $56,850 with a poverty rate of 19.7%.
How many cities are in Clay County, South Dakota?
Clay County contains 4 Census-designated places.