Clay County, Minnesota
Among the top 22% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 28% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 49% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
- top 6% for walkability
- top 13% for school quality
- bottom 10% for annual snowfall
Clay County is a county in Minnesota with about 65,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and C for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, school quality, and park & nature access. It rates lower on airport distance and annual snowfall.
Official websiteco.clay.mn.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
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78%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.5 in0.7 in
humid 44%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 71% of US counties
Home Value$241k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$972better than 26% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 15% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.13%better than 31% of US counties
Income Tax4.80%better than 56% of US counties
Sales Tax8.04%better than 38% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.07%better than 24% of US counties
Unemployment4.0%better than 65% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)9°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation24.7 in19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall52.2 inbetter than 10% of US counties
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 40% of US counties
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 77% of US counties
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 68% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk73.7better than 26% of US counties
School Quality87.6better than 87% of US counties
Violent Crime777/100kbetter than 50% of US counties
Property Crime2027/100kbetter than 13% of US counties
Community
Population65,30774th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2343rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9939th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.9%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.3%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.9%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.4%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 80% of US counties
Walkability10.4/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance210 mibetter than 12% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.7%better than 77% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.92better than 36% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 86% 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 $44k, better than 71% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Clay County?
- The median home value in Clay County is $241k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Clay County?
- Median household income in Clay County is $75k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Clay County?
- Median gross rent in Clay County is $972 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Clay County safe?
- Clay County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 777/100k (better than 50%). Property crime is 2027/100k.
- What is the weather like in Clay County?
- Clay County averages 71°F in July and 9°F in January, with 24.7 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Clay County?
- Public-school quality in Clay County is above average, scoring better than 87% 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 20 min.
Other counties in Minnesota
Explore Minnesota
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)