# Clay County, Nebraska

Clay County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 6,104. Its county seat is Clay Center. The county was formed in 1855, and was organized in 1871. It was named for Henry Clay, a member of the United States Senate from Kentucky, who went on to become United States Secretary of State. In the Nebraska license plate system, Clay County is represented by the prefix 30 (it had the 30th-largest number of vehicles registered in the county when the license plate system was established in 1922).

## Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 574 square miles (1,490 km$^2$), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km$^2$) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km$^2$) (0.2%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 6
* Nebraska Highway 14
* Nebraska Highway 41
* Nebraska Highway 74

### Adjacent counties

* York County – northeast
* Fillmore County – east
* Thayer County – southeast
* Nuckolls County – south
* Webster County – southwest
* Adams County – west
* Hamilton County – north

### Protected areas

* Alberding Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* Bluewing Wildlife Management Area
* Eckhardt Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* Green Wing State Wildlife Management Area
* Hansen Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* Harms Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Hultine Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Kissinger Basin State Wildlife Management Area
* Lange Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* Massie Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Meadowlark Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Moger Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* Sandpiper Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Schuck Federal Waterfowl Production Area
* Smith Lagoon National Wildlife Management Area
* White Front Wildlife Management Area

## Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 7,039 people, 2,756 households, and 1,981 families in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile (4.6 people/km$^2$). There were 3,066 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (1.9/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.57% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 1.24% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. 3.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 49.4% were of German, 7.2% English, 7.2% American, 5.4% Swedish and 5.3% Irish ancestry.
There were 2,756 households, out of which 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.70% were married couples living together, 5.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.03.
The county population contained 27.30% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,259, and the median income for a family was $39,541. Males had a median income of $28,321 versus $19,870 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,870. About 8.50% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Clay Center (county seat)
* Edgar
* Fairfield
* Harvard
* Sutton

### Villages

* Deweese
* Glenvil
* Ong
* Saronville
* Trumbull

### Census-designated place

* Inland

### Unincorporated communities

* Eldorado
* Verona

### Townships

* Edgar
* Eldorado
* Fairfield
* Glenvil
* Harvard
* Inland
* Leicester
* Lewis
* Logan
* Lone Tree
* Lynn
* Marshall
* School Creek
* Sheridan
* Spring Ranch
* Sutton

## Politics

Clay County voters are reliably Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
United States presidential election results for Clay County, Nebraska :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 2,677 | 80.66% | 577 | 17.38% | 65 | 1.96% |
| 2020 | 2,848 | 79.78% | 632 | 17.70% | 90 | 2.52% |
| 2016 | 2,422 | 79.02% | 477 | 15.56% | 166 | 5.42% |
| 2012 | 2,232 | 75.74% | 667 | 22.63% | 48 | 1.63% |
| 2008 | 2,177 | 71.78% | 780 | 25.72% | 76 | 2.51% |
| 2004 | 2,543 | 76.21% | 743 | 22.27% | 51 | 1.53% |
| 2000 | 2,326 | 72.35% | 774 | 24.07% | 115 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | 1,982 | 59.86% | 880 | 26.58% | 449 | 13.56% |
| 1992 | 1,824 | 50.84% | 802 | 22.35% | 962 | 26.81% |
| 1988 | 2,352 | 67.78% | 1,097 | 31.61% | 21 | 0.61% |
| 1984 | 2,920 | 77.74% | 811 | 21.59% | 25 | 0.67% |
| 1980 | 2,739 | 71.63% | 840 | 21.97% | 245 | 6.41% |
| 1976 | 2,254 | 60.87% | 1,369 | 36.97% | 80 | 2.16% |
| 1972 | 2,542 | 74.70% | 861 | 25.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,273 | 66.58% | 935 | 27.39% | 206 | 6.03% |
| 1964 | 1,879 | 48.43% | 2,001 | 51.57% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 3,005 | 69.30% | 1,331 | 30.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 3,099 | 71.42% | 1,240 | 28.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 3,559 | 76.14% | 1,115 | 23.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 2,511 | 61.24% | 1,589 | 38.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 3,375 | 68.81% | 1,530 | 31.19% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 3,576 | 66.98% | 1,763 | 33.02% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 2,856 | 48.26% | 2,932 | 49.54% | 130 | 2.20% |
| 1932 | 2,320 | 36.39% | 3,878 | 60.82% | 178 | 2.79% |
| 1928 | 4,105 | 69.27% | 1,767 | 29.82% | 54 | 0.91% |
| 1924 | 2,758 | 50.32% | 1,716 | 31.31% | 1,007 | 18.37% |
| 1920 | 3,392 | 67.73% | 1,466 | 29.27% | 150 | 3.00% |
| 1916 | 1,737 | 45.46% | 1,975 | 51.69% | 109 | 2.85% |
| 1912 | 557 | 15.23% | 1,694 | 46.31% | 1,407 | 38.46% |
| 1908 | 1,891 | 47.80% | 1,939 | 49.01% | 126 | 3.19% |
| 1904 | 2,118 | 59.48% | 701 | 19.69% | 742 | 20.84% |
| 1900 | 1,932 | 50.46% | 1,826 | 47.69% | 71 | 1.85% |