County · Indiana

Clay County, Indiana

Clay County, Indiana. Clay County had 26,410 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.2% since 2020, while Indiana grew 2.8%. It holds 26 places (7 cities, villages and boroughs, 11 towns and townships and 8 census-designated) and 6 census tracts. GEOID 18021.

Clay County is one of the 4 counties of the Terre Haute, IN metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).

Residents, July 2025 estimate

26,410

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 26,466 · ACS 2020-2024: 26,409

Median household income

$70,010

±$6,394 (90% margin)
Indiana: $71,957

Median home value

$153,000

±$8,517 (90% margin)
Indiana: $218,200

Median gross rent

$873

±$40 (90% margin)
Indiana: $1,062

How many people live in Clay County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 26,466 residents in Clay County. The Census Bureau estimates 26,410 for July 1, 2025, down 0.2% since 2020, while Indiana grew 2.8%. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 26,409 over 358 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 −31 (26,395)
2021→2022 −25 (26,370)
2022→2023 +30 (26,400)
2023→2024 −48 (26,352)
2024→2025 +58 (26,410)

Clay County in Indiana. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Clay County	Indiana	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	26,409	6,851,073	+175
Households	10,549±339	2,716,009	no clear change
Average household size	2.46±0.08	2.46	no clear change
Housing units	11,645±33	2,976,568	−127

Clay County's population since 2000

From 26,556 in 2000 to 26,410 in 2025: down 0.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

2000 Census 26,556
2005 (estimate) 27,097
2010 Census 26,890
2015 (estimate) 26,406
2020 Census 26,466
2025 (estimate) 26,410

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Clay County?

Clay County holds 26 places: 7 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 11 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 8 census-designated places. The largest is Brazil Township with 8,732 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Clay County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Brazil Township	township	8,604	8,603±55	$59,757	$118,500	16.7%	100%
Brazil	city	8,181	7,831±475	$52,055	$113,900	18.6%	100%
Posey Township, Clay County	township	4,016	4,040±19	$93,664	$170,500	10.6%	100%
Van Buren Township, Clay County	township	3,203	3,190±22	$69,536	$134,300	8.8%	100%
Jackson Township, Clay County	township	2,839	2,824±16	$95,590	$226,700	5.3%	100%
Harrison Township, Clay County	township	2,151	2,583±420	$72,500	$119,000	8.6%	100%
Lewis TownshipGEOID 1802143002	township	1,373	976±278	$81,964	$169,100	3.9%	100%
Dick Johnson TownshipGEOID 1802118118	township	1,355	932±225	$63,295	$193,100	18.1%	100%
Perry Township, Clay CountyGEOID 1802158986	township	915	1,039±307	$75,707	$124,800	6.2%	100%
Sugar Ridge Township	township	914	1,161±344	$107,536	$120,900	3.8%	100%
Clay City	town	878	1,104±371	$72,292	$94,500	10.8%	100%
Washington Township, Clay CountyGEOID 1802180468	township	750	906±265	$48,594	$168,800	26.6%	100%
Knightsville	town	702	642±131	$60,208	$109,800	9.0%	100%
Harmony	town	677	645±168	$54,615	$116,700	11.4%	100%
Staunton	town	472	350±131	$57,500	$92,900	12.9%	100%
CloverlandGEOID 1813888	CDP	–	398±189	$72,865	not published	0.0%	100%
CoalmontGEOID 1814032	CDP	354	297±198	$110,074	$137,500	0.0%	100%
Cass Township, Clay CountyGEOID 1802110666	township	346	155±77	$51,711	$96,700	16.8%	100%
Saline CityGEOID 1867518	CDP	–	329±307	$108,472	$10,000 or less	0.0%	100%
CarbonGEOID 1810198	town	263	238±115	$86,667	$87,500	8.8%	100%
Center PointGEOID 1811746	town	213	377±150	not published	$94,800	11.7%	100%
Bowling GreenGEOID 1806832	CDP	–	207±143	not published	$90,000	28.5%	100%
BilltownGEOID 1805284	CDP	–	177±100	$55,795	not published	13.0%	100%
CoryGEOID 1815238	CDP	–	109±71	$150,000	$114,400	0.0%	100%
Middlebury, Clay CountyGEOID 1848906	CDP	–	109±73	$61,875	$123,400	0.0%	100%
PolandGEOID 1860912	CDP	–	81±70	$50,658	$93,300	14.8%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Clay County?

The median resident of Clay County is 41.4 years old; 22.9% are under 18 and 18.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.9%. 1.1% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Clay County	Indiana	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	41.4±1.0	38.1	no clear change
Under 18 years	22.9%±0.3 pts	23.3%	–
65 years and over	18.9%±0.2 pts	16.8%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.0%	8.6%	–
White alone, not Hispanic	94.0%±0.6 pts	75.4%	−2.1 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.5%±0.4 pts	9.1%	–
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.3 pts	2.6%	–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.1%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	2.9%±0.8 pts	3.8%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.2%±0.2 pts	0.4%	–
Born outside the United States	1.1%±0.5 pts	6.3%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	1.5%±0.6 pts	10.3%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	6.9%±1.1 pts	6.3%	–
With a disability	17.6%±1.9 pts	14.2%	–
No health insurance coverage	6.0%±1.5 pts	7.4%	+2.0 pts
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	90.2%±2.0 pts	90.4%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	20.3%±2.1 pts	29.5%	+3.3 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	6.3%±1.1 pts	10.8%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	1.5%±0.8 pts	2.1%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Clay County earn?

Half of Clay County's 10,549 households earn less than $70,010 a year (±$6,394), against $71,957 in Indiana. In 2015-2019 it was $68,472 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Clay County	Indiana	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$70,010±$6,394	$71,957	no clear change
Mean household income	$101,024±$10,232	$95,247	–
Per capita income	$40,358±$3,985	$38,351	+$8,044
People below the poverty line	11.7%±2.7 pts	12.3%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	15.1%±6.2 pts	16.0%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	7.8%±2.2 pts	9.1%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	87.7%±2.3 pts	89.9%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Clay County?

Owners occupy 80.9% of Clay County's occupied homes and renters 19.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $153,000 by its owner (±$8,517). The median renter pays $873 a month including utilities, and 25.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Clay County	Indiana	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$153,000±$8,517	$218,200	+$28,208
Median gross rent	$873±$40	$1,062	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	25.7%±7.2 pts	38.9%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,207±$60	$1,404	–
Owner-occupied homes	80.9%±3.2 pts	70.6%	no clear change
Housing units	11,645±33	2,976,568	−127
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.7%±0.7 pts	0.8%	–
Rental vacancy rate	4.8%±4.9 pts	5.6%	–
Single-family detached homes	81.3%±2.9 pts	72.6%	–
Mobile homes	10.3%±2.0 pts	4.4%	–
Built 2020 or later	1.3%±1.0 pts	1.7%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	20.3%±2.9 pts	16.0%	–

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is Clay County building?

Builders took permits for 26 new housing units across Clay County in 2025 (24 single-family), 1.0 per 1,000 residents.

2019 7 units
2020 9 units
2021 14 units
2022 16 units
2023 31 units
2024 68 units
2025 26 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Clay County get to work?

81.2% of Clay County's workers drive alone and 4.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.2%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Clay County	Indiana	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	60.4%±2.2 pts	63.8%	–
Unemployment rate	3.2%±1.3 pts	4.3%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	81.2%±3.1 pts	76.3%	–
Carpooled	11.8%±2.6 pts	9.1%	–
Public transportation	0.1%±0.2 pts	0.6%	–
Walked	1.3%±0.8 pts	1.9%	–
Worked from home	4.8%±1.4 pts	10.7%	+2.5 pts
Mean travel time to work	29.1 min±2.3	24.1 min	no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What are Clay County's census tracts?

Clay County is divided into 6 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $58,780 (Tract 402) to $92,685 (Tract 403).

Census tracts of Clay County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 40118021040100	Brazil (87%)	5,557	5,136±606	$64,907	$131,500	$844	16.5%
Tract 40218021040200	Brazil (65%)	6,096	6,215±408	$58,780	$118,400	$904	17.7%
Tract 40318021040300	Carbon (18%)	3,302	3,458±345	$92,685	$187,800	$953	6.9%
Tract 40418021040400	Staunton (22%)	4,446	4,084±446	$92,219	$183,500	$1,015	6.7%
Tract 40518021040500	Center Point (8%)	3,528	3,936±418	$82,434	$163,300	$812	9.9%
Tract 40618021040600	Clay City (19%)	3,537	3,580±365	$74,496	$149,400	$729	7.2%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Clay County compare with Indiana's other counties?

Clay County's rank among Indiana's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	60th of 92
Growth 2020-2025	76th of 92
Residents per square mile	55th of 92
Median household income	42nd of 92
Median home value	75th of 92
Median gross rent	44th of 92
Poverty rate	48th of 92
Bachelor's degree or higher	42nd of 92
Median age	43rd of 92

Every county in Indiana

Source: PlainCities ranks from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Clay County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.