Clay County, Arkansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 51st-largest in Arkansas

The population of Clay County, Arkansas is 14,399 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 51st-largest county in Arkansas. The median household income is $48,500, the median home value is $88,100, and the median age is 42.6.

The population of Clay County has declined 12.1% since 2010 (16,050 → 14,112), a -0.91% annualized rate.

Clay County within Arkansas · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

14,399

Population

-0.91%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$48,500

Median Income

$88,100

Median Home Value

Clay County covers 639 sq mi of land at 22.5 people per square mile.

About Clay County, AR

Clay County is a county in Arkansas with a population of 14,399. It ranks #51 among counties in Arkansas by population. The median age is 42.6, older than the national median. The population is 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

The median household income in Clay County is $48,500, below the US median of $74,580. 13.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $88,100, with monthly rent averaging $696. The homeownership rate of 71.5% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Clay County reflects 15.6% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 6.2% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 23.3 minutes each way.

Clay County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Clay County had a population of 16,050 in 2010 and 14,112 in 2024, a -12.1% growth over 14 years. The peak was 16,050 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.91%.

14,112

Population (2024)

16,050

Population (2010)

16,050

Peak (2010)

-0.91%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	16,050	-	-	estimate
2011	15,876	-174	-1.08%	estimate
2012	15,710	-166	-1.05%	estimate
2013	15,482	-228	-1.45%	estimate
2014	15,298	-184	-1.19%	estimate
2015	15,206	-92	-0.60%	estimate
2016	15,059	-147	-0.97%	estimate
2017	14,859	-200	-1.33%	estimate
2018	14,763	-96	-0.65%	estimate
2019	14,494	-269	-1.82%	estimate
2020	14,534	+40	+0.28%	estimate
2021	14,334	-200	-1.38%	estimate
2022	14,229	-105	-0.73%	estimate
2023	14,191	-38	-0.27%	estimate
2024	14,112	-79	-0.56%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	94.0%
Black or African American	0.1%
Asian	0.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

42.6

Median Age

51.3%

Female

48.7%

Male

21.8%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.6%

5–9

6.2%

10–14

5.8%

15–19

5.8%

20–24

5.3%

25–34

12.5%

35–44

10.7%

45–54

12.3%

55–59

6.1%

60–64

7.9%

65–74

11.9%

75–84

7.3%

85+

2.6%

Children (under 15): 17.6% · Seniors (65+): 21.8%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$48,500$-10,273 vs state
Mean household income	$63,441
Per-capita income	$27,614
Poverty rate	13.7%+2.2% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.6%
Employment-to-population	53.5%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

26.2%

Manufacturing

16.3%

Agriculture

8.9%

Information

6.2%

Retail trade

5.9%

Construction

5.9%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.5%

Public administration

4.0%

The largest employment sector in Clay County is professional & business services, accounting for 26.2% of workers.

How residents commute

0.1%

Drive alone

2.0%

Carpool

80.0%

Public transit

6.2%

Work from home

23.3 min

Avg commute

Housing

$88,100$-87,200 vs state

Median home value

$696

Median rent

71.5%

Homeownership rate

7,499

Total housing units

81.6%

Occupied

18.4%

Vacant

28.5%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

91.1%

With health insurance

87.5%

With broadband internet

44.4%

Foreign-born

8.0%

Veterans (18+)

22.0%

With a disability

99.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

86.6%

High School+

15.6%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Arkansas

Little Rock (202,739)Fayetteville (97,227)Fort Smith (89,496)Springdale (87,388)Jonesboro (79,187)Rogers (71,411)Conway (66,288)North Little Rock (64,504)Bentonville (56,326)Pine Bluff (40,436)All Arkansas cities →

Other counties in Arkansas

Pulaski County (398,949)Benton County (294,541)Washington County (251,863)Sebastian County (128,448)Faulkner County (126,001)Saline County (125,724)Craighead County (112,097)Garland County (100,062)White County (77,395)Lonoke County (74,747)All Arkansas counties →

Part of Arkansas

Arkansas demographic profile All Arkansas data →

Metro areas in Arkansas

Memphis (1,341,606)Little Rock (753,605)Fayetteville (563,436)Fort Smith (228,916)Texarkana (146,868)Jonesboro (134,837)Hot Springs (100,062)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Clay County, Arkansas has a population of 14,399 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 51st-largest county in Arkansas. Population density is 23 people per square mile.

The population of Clay County has declined 12.1% since 2010 (16,050 → 14,112), a -0.91% annualized rate.

The median household income in Clay County, Arkansas is $48,500, with mean (average) household income of $63,441 and per-capita income of $27,614. 13.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Clay County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (94.0%), Hispanic or Latino (3.9%), Asian (0.2%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Clay County, Arkansas is 42.6 years. Residents are 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

The median home value in Clay County is $88,100 and median monthly rent is $696. 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 7,499 total housing units, 18.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Clay County, Arkansas is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 26.2% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.6%.

Little Rock is among the largest cities associated with Clay County, Arkansas, with a population of 202,739.