Clay, West Virginia
Population, housing costs, incomes, jobs, commuting and climate in Clay, compared with West Virginia and the U.S. using Census records and their margins of error.
Clay town · Incorporated town · Census GEOID 5415676 · West Virginia directory
- Population · July 1, 2025
- 363 PEP Vintage 2025
- Change · 2024 to 2025
- -2.2% -8 residents
- Household income
- Unavailable ACS 2020–2024 · MOE unavailable
- Home value
- $44,300 ACS 2020–2024 · ±$21,944
- Monthly gross rent
- $665 ACS 2020–2024 · ±$120
- Median age
- 30.4 years ACS 2020–2024 · ±3.9
Clay is an incorporated town in Clay County, West Virginia, part of the Charleston, WV metropolitan area. With 363 residents on July 1, 2025, it ranks 170th in West Virginia and 14,494th nationally among Census places. Its population fell by 8 (2.2%) in the year to July 2025; since April 2020 it has declined 9.0%. Median gross rent in the 2020–2024 survey is $665 a month, 23.7% below the West Virginia median.
What stands out in Clay?
Compared with other West Virginia places, Clay is most distinctive for a higher poverty rate, more renters and a younger population. Each statement below uses reliable estimates only, and survey differences from the state exceed their combined 90% margin of error.
- Poverty rate: 77.8%, 61.1 percentage points above the West Virginia rate (16.7%); higher than 99% of 100 West Virginia places with reliable estimates. It ranks 1st of 100 in West Virginia.
- Homeownership rate: 22.4%, 52.5 percentage points below the West Virginia rate (74.9%); lower than 99% of 213 West Virginia places with reliable estimates. Only 1 of 213 West Virginia places with reliable estimates are lower.
- Median age: 30.4 years, 12.3 years younger than the West Virginia median (42.7 years); lower than 94% of 201 West Virginia places with reliable estimates.
- Population change since April 2020: -9.0%; lower than 93% of 225 West Virginia places with reliable estimates.
- Median gross rent: $665, 23.7% below the West Virginia median ($872); lower than 74% of 174 West Virginia places with reliable estimates.
How Clay compares with West Virginia and the U.S.
| Measure | Clay | West Virginia | U.S. | Position in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population change since April 2020 PEP Vintage 2025 | -9.0% | — | — | lower than 93% of 225 West Virginia places |
| Residents per square mile of land PEP 2025 / Gazetteer 2025 | 651 | — | — | lower than 73% of 230 West Virginia places |
| Median home value B25077 | $44,300 ±$21,944 · low precision | $162,600 | $332,700 | Not ranked: low precision |
| Median gross rent B25064 | $665 ±$120 | $872 | $1,413 | lower than 74% of 174 West Virginia places |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent B25070 | 87.1% ±38.3 pp | 48.9% | 51.1% | higher than 97% of 73 West Virginia places |
| Homeownership rate B25003 | 22.4% ±6.2 pp | 74.9% | 65.2% | lower than 99% of 213 West Virginia places |
| Median age B01002 | 30.4 years ±3.9 | 42.7 years | 38.9 years | lower than 94% of 201 West Virginia places |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher B15003 | 3.9% ±6.7 pp · low precision | 24.1% | 35.7% | Not ranked: low precision |
| Poverty rate B17001 | 77.8% ±38.4 pp | 16.7% | 12.5% | higher than 99% of 100 West Virginia places |
| People without health insurance B27010 | 1.9% ±5.3 pp · low precision | 6.0% | 8.4% | Not ranked: low precision |
| Households with a broadband subscription B28002 | 80.9% ±30.9 pp | 86.1% | 91.0% | lower than 75% of 216 West Virginia places |
| Unemployment rate (civilian labor force) B23025 | 0.0% ±40.6 pp · low precision | 5.4% | 5.2% | Not ranked: low precision |
| Foreign-born residents B05002 | 0.5% ±1.0 pp · low precision | 1.8% | 14.1% | Not ranked: low precision |
| Change in local jobs since 2019 LODES 8.4 | +2.1% | — | — | higher than 70% of 127 West Virginia places |
| Workers who work from home B08301 | 3.2% ±6.1 pp · low precision | 9.1% | 15.1% | Not ranked: low precision |
| Commutes of 45 minutes or longer B08303 | 23.3% ±48.6 pp · low precision | 17.5% | 16.5% | Not ranked: low precision |
| Households without a vehicle B08201 | 58.6% ±43.3 pp · low precision | 8.0% | 8.4% | Not ranked: low precision |
Positions compare Clay with West Virginia places in this directory whose estimate has a coefficient of variation of 30% or less (survey measures) or a published PEP value. The marker runs from the lowest value (left) to the highest (right); it is a description, not a score or a recommendation. 8 measures are shown in grey because the survey margin of error is too wide to rank reliably. With 363 residents, Clay has a small ACS sample; prefer the population and geography records for precise comparisons.
How many people live in Clay?
The latest official estimate is 363 residents on July 1, 2025. It ranks 14,494th by population nationally and 170th in West Virginia among this directory’s PEP places. Population changed by 8 residents between the 2024 and 2025 estimates. These are annual estimates, not census enumerations.
| Reference date | Population | Change from previous estimate |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2020 | 396 | Separate from April 2020 base |
| July 1, 2021 | 388 | -8 |
| July 1, 2022 | 381 | -7 |
| July 1, 2023 | 377 | -4 |
| July 1, 2024 | 371 | -6 |
| July 1, 2025 | 363 | -8 |
From the revised April 2020 base to July 2025, the change is −36 residents (-9.0%). This is a within-vintage comparison. Boundary adjustments can affect both the estimates and their interpretation.
Download this population chart (SVG) · Official population release
Where are the boundaries?
- Entity and stable identifier
- Clay town, West Virginia · Incorporated town · 5415676
- Counties or equivalents · 2025 boundaries
- Clay County
- Metropolitan or micropolitan context · July 2023 delineations
- Charleston, WV — Metropolitan Statistical Area County associations use Census PEP county place parts. Each county is matched by FIPS code to the official CBSA list; a city can span several counties or statistical areas. A missing association can reflect an area outside a CBSA or changed county codes between vintages. City figures on this page remain place-level statistics.
- Land area
- 0.6 square miles · 2025 Gazetteer
- Water area
- 0.1 square miles · 2025 Gazetteer
- Approximate population density
- 651 residents per square mile of land
- Internal point
- 38.461457°, -81.08491° · Census geographic reference point
Density divides the July 2025 estimate by 2025 Gazetteer land area, so it is approximate. The internal point is a locator, not an address. Census place profile reference .
Income and poverty
| Measure / survey universe | City estimate ± MOE | State estimate ± MOE | U.S. estimate ± MOE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income Households · USD/year | Unavailable MOE unavailable | $59,608 ±$691 | $80,734 ±$166 |
| Per-capita income Total population · USD/year | $8,406 ±$5,924 · low precision | $34,203 ±$337 | $44,673 ±$122 |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty level | 294 ±237 · low precision | 77.8% ±38.4 pp |
Household income combines the incomes of everyone in a household; per-capita income divides all income by every resident. The poverty rate is 77.8% (±38.4 percentage points) under the official Census definition.
Home values, rent and tenure
| Measure / survey universe | City estimate ± MOE | State estimate ± MOE | U.S. estimate ± MOE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median owner-occupied home value Owner-occupied housing units · USD | $44,300 ±$21,944 | $162,600 ±$1,346 | $332,700 ±$236 |
| Median gross rent Renter-occupied units paying cash rent · USD/month | $665 ±$120 | $872 ±$8 | $1,413 ±$2 |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Owner occupied | 34 ±22 · low precision | 22.4% ±6.2 pp |
| Renter occupied | 118 ±85 · low precision | 77.6% ±32.6 pp |
Owner-occupied units make up 22.4% of occupied housing. Gross rent includes estimated tenant-paid utilities and home values are owners’ own estimates; both cover 2020–2024 leases and homes rather than current listings.
Monthly rent by bedroom count
| Bedrooms | Monthly gross rent | 90% margin of error | Precision |
|---|---|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| 1 bedroom | $315 | ±$74 | Estimate with MOE |
| 2 bedrooms | $672 | ±$12 | Estimate with MOE |
| 3 bedrooms | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| 4 bedrooms | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
| 5 or more bedrooms | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable |
Census table B25031 describes renter-occupied units paying cash rent within this exact place geography. Gross rent includes contract rent and estimated tenant-paid utilities. These survey medians include existing leases across 2020–2024; they are not current apartment listings. Missing categories stay unavailable, and open-ended medians remain ranges. Small bedroom categories can have large margins of error. Download source values and provenance .
Employment among residents
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force | 32 ±20 · low precision | 13.4% ±5.1 pp |
| Not in the labor force | 206 ±113 · low precision | 86.6% ±20.3 pp |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian employed | 32 ±20 · low precision | 100.0% ±0.0 pp |
| Civilian unemployed | 0 ±13 · low precision | 0.0% ±40.6 pp · low precision |
These estimates describe residents of Clay wherever they work; jobs at workplaces inside the city appear under jobs located in Clay. They are 2020–2024 averages, not a current monthly unemployment rate.
Which industries employ residents?
Retail trade is the largest of the published broad industry groups among employed residents: 43.8% (14 people; ±33.7 · low precision percentage points). The estimate covers residents’ industries wherever they work, rather than employers located inside the place.
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting and mining | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Construction | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Manufacturing | 4 ±14 · low precision | 12.5% ±42.8 pp · low precision |
| Wholesale trade | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Retail trade | 14 ±14 · low precision | 43.8% ±33.7 pp · low precision |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5 ±7 · low precision | 15.6% ±20.3 pp · low precision |
| Information | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste services | 2 ±14 · low precision | 6.3% ±42.3 pp · low precision |
| Education, health care and social assistance | 7 ±15 · low precision | 21.9% ±44.1 pp · low precision |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Other services, except public administration | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Public administration | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
Occupations among employed residents
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Management, business, science and arts | 4 ±7 · low precision | 12.5% ±21.1 pp · low precision |
| Service occupations | 9 ±9 · low precision | 28.1% ±21.7 pp · low precision |
| Sales and office | 11 ±18 · low precision | 34.4% ±50.9 pp · low precision |
| Natural resources, construction and maintenance | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Production, transportation and material moving | 8 ±7 · low precision | 25.0% ±16.2 pp · low precision |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Management occupations | 1 ±14 · low precision | 3.1% ±42.5 pp · low precision |
| Computer and mathematical occupations | 0 ±18 · low precision | 0.0% ±57.5 pp · low precision |
| Educational instruction and library occupations | 1 ±13 · low precision | 3.1% ±41.6 pp · low precision |
| Health practitioners and technical occupations | 2 ±14 · low precision | 6.3% ±43.4 pp · low precision |
| Sales and related occupations | 11 ±18 · low precision | 34.4% ±50.9 pp · low precision |
| Transportation occupations | 4 ±5 · low precision | 12.5% ±13.5 pp · low precision |
The detailed groups are subsets of the broad groups and should not be added to them.
How residents get to work
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 21 ±15 · low precision | 67.7% ±20.8 pp |
| Carpooled | 1 ±3 · low precision | 3.2% ±9.5 pp · low precision |
| Public transportation | 0 ±13 · low precision | 0.0% ±41.9 pp · low precision |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | 0 ±13 · low precision | 0.0% ±41.9 pp · low precision |
| Motorcycle | 0 ±13 · low precision | 0.0% ±41.9 pp · low precision |
| Bicycle | 0 ±13 · low precision | 0.0% ±41.9 pp · low precision |
| Walked | 5 ±8 · low precision | 16.1% ±23.6 pp · low precision |
| Other means | 3 ±5 · low precision | 9.7% ±14.9 pp · low precision |
| Worked from home | 1 ±2 · low precision | 3.2% ±6.1 pp · low precision |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 minutes | 15 ±14 · low precision | 50.0% ±31.4 pp · low precision |
| 15–29 minutes | 8 ±15 · low precision | 26.7% ±47.0 pp · low precision |
| 30–44 minutes | 0 ±23 · low precision | 0.0% ±75.1 pp · low precision |
| 45–59 minutes | 5 ±7 · low precision | 16.7% ±20.5 pp · low precision |
| 60 minutes or longer | 2 ±14 · low precision | 6.7% ±45.1 pp · low precision |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| No vehicle available | 89 ±84 · low precision | 58.6% ±43.3 pp · low precision |
Travel times cover workers who did not work from home. Vehicle availability is counted per household, not per driver.
Households and residents
Median age is 30.4 years (±3.9). The demographic profile covers age groups, race and Hispanic origin, household types, nativity, languages, education and moves, each compared with West Virginia and the U.S.
How many jobs are located in Clay?
Employers in Clay reported 784 jobs in 2023, +2.1% compared with 2019 (768 jobs). That is 208.0 jobs for every 100 residents in the July 2023 population estimate — more jobs than residents, so the place draws workers from surrounding areas. These are jobs at workplaces inside the city limits, wherever the workers live, unlike resident employment figures.
| Industry | Jobs | Share of local jobs | West Virginia share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 239 | 30.5% | 21.3% |
| Educational services | 234 | 29.8% | 9.0% |
| Public administration | 78 | 9.9% | 6.3% |
| Retail trade | 72 | 9.2% | 11.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 44 | 5.6% | 3.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 43 | 5.5% | 9.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 29 | 3.7% | 2.7% |
| Information | 21 | 2.7% | 1.3% |
| Other services, except public administration | 14 | 1.8% | 2.7% |
| Construction | 5 | 0.6% | 5.4% |
| Utilities | 4 | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Administrative, support and waste management services | 1 | 0.1% | 5.6% |
| Group | Jobs | Share | West Virginia share |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,250 a month or less | 165 | 21.0% | 18.1% |
| $1,251 to $3,333 a month | 282 | 36.0% | 29.9% |
| More than $3,333 a month | 337 | 43.0% | 52.0% |
| Age 29 or younger | 104 | 13.3% | 22.0% |
| Age 30 to 54 | 435 | 55.5% | 53.5% |
| Age 55 or older | 245 | 31.3% | 24.5% |
Health care and social assistance is the largest sector for jobs located in Clay (30.5% of local jobs, compared with 21.3% statewide). Earnings bands describe what each job pays per month, not household income, and a worker can hold more than one job.
Source: Census LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES) 8.4, workplace area characteristics, all jobs, second-quarter reference date. Census blocks are summed to 2024 place boundaries. Includes private, state and local government and federal civilian jobs; excludes self-employment, military and informal work. Counts include confidentiality noise and are less precise for small places.
Nearby station climate normals
No station in the retained NOAA release meets our complete standard-normal criteria within 25 km of this place’s Census internal point. We leave local climate values unavailable. Use NOAA’s station lookup to inspect other locations and their coverage.
Check a specific address before moving
City averages help compare places. A particular home’s school assignment, transit service and flood-map coverage need checks at the address.
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center — search the address, read the effective map and its date, and check any map changes. An unmapped location does not establish an absence of flood risk.
- NCES public school district directory — find district contact information, then use the district’s official address locator or enrollment office to confirm school assignment. A city name or district boundary alone does not assign a school.
- FCC National Broadband Map — check reported service at the exact location, then confirm availability and terms with the provider.
- Check the official transit operator’s route map and timetable for the address and your actual travel hours; the citywide commuting shares above do not measure service on a particular street.
Sources and data notes
Population: Census PEP Vintage 2025, published May 14, 2026. Survey measures: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates, published January 29, 2026, dollar figures in 2024 dollars. Geography: Census 2025 Gazetteer, with simplified 2024 state outlines for the locator. Statistical estimates and derived values use the same retained records in profiles, comparison, filters and downloads.
Climate uses NOAA 1991–2020 station normals (v1.0.1); jobs located in the city use LEHD LODES 8.4. Crime, school assignments and hazard scores are not inferred from these datasets, and missing values are never treated as zero. Inspect original sources, read calculation details, download this place’s source observations , or submit a correction.