Clay County, MS

County

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2024 Population

18,383

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

39.8

0.748% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

20.9%

15.7% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$43,125

8.07% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$129,100

11.7% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

7,515

6.93% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Clay County, MS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.9% of the residents in Clay County, MS are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Clay County, MS was $129,100, and the homeownership rate was 71.3%.

Most people in Clay County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Clay County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Clay County, MS borders Chickasaw County, MS, Lowndes County, MS, Monroe County, MS, Oktibbeha County, MS, and Webster County, MS.

United States Mississippi West Point, MS

Population & Diversity

Clay County, MS is home to a population of 18.4k people, from which 99.9% are citizens. As of 2024, 0.37% of Clay County, MS residents were born outside of the country (68 people).

In 2024, there were 1.63 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (11.1k people) in Clay County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.77k White (Non-Hispanic) and 340 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.9%

2024 Citizenship

99.7%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.9% of Clay County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Clay County, MS was 99.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Clay County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Clay County, MS

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
11.1k ± 144
White (Non-Hispanic)
6.77k ± 134
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
340 ± 139

0.196%

Hispanic Population

36 people

0.196% of the people in Clay County, MS are hispanic (36 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Clay County, MS as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
17,149 ± 3,206 people
Honduras
5,066 ± 1,746 people
India
4,341 ± 1,616 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 17,149 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 5,066 and India with 4,341.

Foreign-Born Population

0.37%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

68 people

0.677%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

125 people

As of 2024, 0.37% of Clay County, MS residents (68 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Clay County, MS was 0.677%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Clay County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
277 ± 134
Gulf War (2001-)
187 ± 109
Gulf War (1990s)
130 ± 93

Clay County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.48 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Clay County, MS.

Economy

The economy of Clay County, MS employs 7.52k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Clay County, MS were Manufacturing (1,566 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,021 people), and Retail Trade (846 people), and the highest paying industries were Wholesale Trade ($61,106), Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,000), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($48,210).

Employment

Occupations

7.52k

2024 Value

± 709

6.93%

1 Year growth

± 12.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Clay County, MS grew at a rate of 6.93%, from 7.03k employees to 7.52k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Clay County, MS, are Production Occupations (1,052 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (958 people), and Management Occupations (641 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Clay County, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

7.52k

2024 Value

± 709

6.93%

1 Year growth

± 12.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Clay County, MS grew at a rate of 6.93%, from 7.03k employees to 7.52k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Clay County, MS, are Manufacturing (1,566 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,021 people), and Retail Trade (846 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Clay County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Clay County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$44,318

Median earning men ± $3,757

$30,641

Median earning women ± $3,741

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,917), Wholesale Trade ($61,106), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($53,500).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($39,375), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($37,997), and Public Administration ($36,324).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Y-Axis

1.38%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.17M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 1.38% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

40
Retail Trade
32
Other Services (except Public Administration)
18
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$60.2k
Manufacturing
$33.1k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$20.7k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Clay County, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (60.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (38%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.439%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Clay County, MS was $129,100 in 2024, which is 0.388 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $115,600 to $129,100, a 11.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Clay County, MS is 71.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Clay County, MS have an average commute time of 21.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Clay County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Clay County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.05%.

Housing

Property

$129,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$25,890

$5,567

Median Property Taxes

±$523

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Clay County, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Clay County, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.3%

Homeownership

2024

64.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.3% of the housing units in Clay County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 70.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Clay County, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$43,125

Median Household Income

± $7,209

7.81k

Number of Households

± 696

In 2024, the median household income of the 7.81k households in Clay County, MS grew to $43,125 from the previous year's value of $39,904.

The following chart displays the households in Clay County, MS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Clay County, MS is from Mississippi.

0.45

2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2023, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.442% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (87.8%)
Carpooled (6.28%)
Worked At Home (5.62%)

In 2024, 87.8% of workers in Clay County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (6.28%) and those who worked at home (5.62%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Clay County, MS have a shorter commute time (21.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.13% of the workforce in Clay County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Clay County, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Clay County, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Clay County, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Clay County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.05%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

20.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Clay County, MS (3.78k out of 18.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Clay County, MS is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 31.1% of the children was living in poverty in Clay County, MS. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 276 in Clay County, MS. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 97.4 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

90.9% of the population of Clay County, MS has health coverage, with 40% on employee plans, 21.4% on Medicaid, 15.9% on Medicare, 12.7% on non-group plans, and 0.923% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Clay County, MS see 2,648 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,648 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 4595 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 396 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.7% were men and 53.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,648 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Clay County, MS

Primary care physicians in Clay County, MS see an average of 2,648 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,648 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Clay County, MS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.6% under 18 years, 18.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.7% were men and 53.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.14%

Uninsured

40%

Employer Coverage

21.4%

Medicaid

15.9%

Medicare

12.7%

Non-Group

0.923%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Clay County, MS declined by 12.8% from 10.5% to 9.14%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Clay County, MS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 102 in Clay County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Clay County, MS.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 42.6% in Clay County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Clay County, MS.