Clay County (West Virginia)

Clay County is a county located in the state of West Virginia in the United States. The administrative headquarters ( County Seat) is Clay.

Geography

The County is located just southwest of the geographical center of West Virginia and has an area of 890 square kilometers, of which four square kilometers of water surface. It is bordered clockwise to the following counties: Calhoun County, Braxton County, Nicholas County, Kanawha County and Roane County.

History

Clay County was formed on March 29, 1858 from parts of Braxton County and Nicholas County. It was named after Henry Clay, an American politician, member of the House of Representatives, the Senate and Secretary of State.

Demographic data

1900-1990

According to the census in 2000 lived in Clay County 10,330 people in 4,020 households and 2,942 families. The population density was 12 people per square kilometer. The racial the population was made ​​up of 98.22 percent White, 0.08 percent African American, 0.71 percent Native American, 0.02 percent Asian, and 0.09 percent from other races; 0.89 percent were descended from two or more races. 0.41 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 4,020 households out of which 33.5 percent have children under the age of 18 living with them. 58.2 percent were married couples living together, 10.4 percent were single mothers, 26.8 percent were non-families, 24.3 percent of all households and 11.4 percent lived in people aged 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01.

Based on the county the population was spread from 25.6 percent population under 18 years, 9.0 percent between 18 and 24 years, 27.5 percent between 25 and 44 years, 24.2 percent between 45 and 64 years and 13.7 percent were 65 years old or older. The average age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 men statistically.

The median income for a household was $ 22,120, and the median income for a family was $ 27,137. Males had a median income of $ 30,161, women $ 16,642. The per capita income was $ 12,021. 24.4 percent of families and 27.5 percent of the population lived below the poverty line. Of these, 37.0 percent were children or adolescents under age 18 and 15.0 percent of those 65 years.