Clay County, Tennessee Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Clay County is located in Tennessee with a total population of 7,621. It is the 90th most populous county out of 95 in Tennessee. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clay County is 48.8 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 38.9 years. 10.3% 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 Clay County is $44,712. This is 33% lower than the state median of $67,097. It is also 43% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 21.7%. This is 58% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 11% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $136,900. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $256,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 77.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 67.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Clay County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.0%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 15.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 7.1%.

Education

12.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 61% lower than the state rate of 30.4%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Clay County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), with comparisons drawn against Tennessee 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.