Clay County, Illinois
Among the top 22% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 27% of US counties
- top 3% for violent crime
- top 3% for property crime
- bottom 12% for property tax rate
Clay County is a county in Illinois with about 13,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and D for affordability. Standout strengths include violent crime, property crime, and monthly rent. It rates lower on sales tax and property tax rate.
Official websiteclaycountyillinois.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
very cold
cold
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
77%50%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.7 in2.9 in
muggy 86%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 29% of US counties
Home Value$104k14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$706better than 78% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 71% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.57%better than 12% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax8.86%better than 15% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.73%better than 29% of US counties
Unemployment6.0%better than 26% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)30°F39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.1 in62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall10.3 inbetter than 53% of US counties
Sunny Days222 daysbetter than 34% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 32% of US counties
Comfortable Days79 daysbetter than 49% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk41.1better than 58% of US counties
School Quality40.7better than 17% of US counties
Violent Crime0/100kbetter than 97% of US counties
Property Crime0/100kbetter than 97% of US counties
Community
Population13,24829th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.854th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.097th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0156th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6788th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)95.3%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.5%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)0.2%1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.3%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.7%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 53% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 40% of US counties
Airport Distance102 mibetter than 48% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.5%better than 52% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.75better than 33% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 28% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Clay County an affordable place to live?
- Clay County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 29% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Clay County?
- The median home value in Clay County is $104k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Clay County?
- Median household income in Clay County is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Clay County?
- Median gross rent in Clay County is $706 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 0/100k (better than 97%). Property crime is 0/100k.
- What is the weather like in Clay County?
- Clay County averages 77°F in July and 30°F in January, with 47.1 in of annual precipitation and about 222 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Clay County?
- Public-school quality in Clay County is below average, scoring better than 17% 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 24 min.
Other counties in Illinois
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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)