Clay County, Iowa
Among the top 7% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 77% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 93% of US counties
- top 9% for cost of living
- top 9% for commute time
- bottom 18% for annual snowfall
Clay County is a county in Iowa with about 16,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and B for weather. Standout strengths include cost of living, commute time, and amenities nearby. It rates lower on income tax and annual snowfall.
Official websiteco.clay.ia.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
v.cold
freez.
77%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in0.8 in
humid 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$62k54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 91% of US counties
Home Value$151k45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$752better than 67% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 59% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.24%better than 25% of US counties
Income Tax6.00%better than 21% of US counties
Sales Tax6.94%better than 70% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.33%better than 22% of US counties
Unemployment4.1%better than 63% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)17°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation30.9 in26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall42.0 inbetter than 18% of US counties
Sunny Days234 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 63% of US counties
Comfortable Days90 daysbetter than 78% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk36.4better than 62% of US counties
School Quality53.5better than 48% of US counties
Violent Crime598/100kbetter than 63% of US counties
Property Crime743/100kbetter than 59% of US counties
Community
Population16,42336th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.551st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1013th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9619th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3951st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)92.2%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.6%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.2%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.7%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 91% of US counties
Walkability6.7/20better than 69% of US counties
Airport Distance129 mibetter than 33% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.1%better than 68% of US counties
Amenities Nearby8.52better than 82% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 79% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Clay County an affordable place to live?
- Clay County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 91% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Clay County?
- The median home value in Clay County is $151k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Clay County?
- Median household income in Clay County is $62k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Clay County?
- Median gross rent in Clay County is $752 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Clay County safe?
- Clay County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 598/100k (better than 63%). Property crime is 743/100k.
- What is the weather like in Clay County?
- Clay County averages 73°F in July and 17°F in January, with 30.9 in of annual precipitation and about 234 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Clay County?
- Public-school quality in Clay County is about average, scoring better than 48% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Clay County?
- The average one-way commute in Clay County is 18 min.
Other counties in Iowa
Explore Iowa
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)