Clay County, Kentucky
Among the top 10% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 50% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 68% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 31% of US counties
- top 5% for monthly owner costs
- top 7% for violent crime
- bottom 4% for walkability
Clay County is a county in Kentucky with about 20,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and F for getting around. Standout strengths include monthly owner costs, violent crime, and monthly rent. It rates lower on unemployment and walkability.
Official websiteclaycounty.ky.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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74%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in3.0 in
muggy 92%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$38k5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$43kbetter than 72% of US counties
Home Value$74k1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$642better than 89% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$966better than 95% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.77%better than 57% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax6.00%better than 84% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.97%better than 78% of US counties
Unemployment10.0%better than 5% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)36°F55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)76°F45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation49.2 in70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall8.6 inbetter than 57% of US counties
Sunny Days230 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 45% of US counties
Comfortable Days81 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk67.1better than 32% of US counties
School Quality54.8better than 51% of US counties
Violent Crime80/100kbetter than 93% of US counties
Property Crime557/100kbetter than 69% of US counties
Community
Population20,32242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.440th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1190th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+7897th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.4%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.1%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.2%6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.2%45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 20% of US counties
Walkability3.9/20better than 4% of US counties
Airport Distance130 mibetter than 33% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access77.9%better than 23% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.44better than 58% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 41% 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 $43k, better than 72% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Clay County?
- The median home value in Clay County is $74k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Clay County?
- Median household income in Clay County is $38k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Clay County?
- Median gross rent in Clay County is $642 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 80/100k (better than 93%). Property crime is 557/100k.
- What is the weather like in Clay County?
- Clay County averages 76°F in July and 36°F in January, with 49.2 in of annual precipitation and about 230 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Clay County?
- Public-school quality in Clay County is about average, scoring better than 51% 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 29 min.
Other counties in Kentucky
Explore Kentucky
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)