Clay County, Iowa

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,667.[1] Its county seat is Spencer.[2] Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, Jr.,[3] a colonel who died in action in the Mexican–American War, and son of Henry Clay, famous American statesman from Kentucky.

Clay County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°04′51″N 95°08′58″W
Country United States
State Iowa
Founded1851
Named forHenry Clay Jr.
SeatSpencer
Largest citySpencer
Area
 • Total573 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Land567 sq mi (1,470 km2)
 • Water5.4 sq mi (14 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total16,667
 • Estimate 
(2018)
16,134
 • Density29/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.co.clay.ia.us

Clay County comprises the Spencer, IA Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Clay County holds the annual Clay County Fair. The first newspaper in Clay County was the Peterson Patriot which started publication in 1880.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 573 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 567 square miles (1,470 km2) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km2) (0.9%) is water.[4] Clay County is home to the large Barringer Slough wetland.

Major highways

Airport

The Spencer Municipal Airport is located three miles (5 km) northwest of the business district of Spencer. It provides service to the county and surrounding communities.

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
186052—
18701,5232,828.8%
18804,248178.9%
18909,309119.1%
190013,40144.0%
191012,766−4.7%
192015,66022.7%
193016,1072.9%
194017,76210.3%
195018,1031.9%
196018,5042.2%
197018,464−0.2%
198019,5766.0%
199017,585−10.2%
200017,372−1.2%
201016,667−4.1%
2018 (est.)16,134[5]−3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2018[1]

2010 census

The 2010 census recorded a population of 16,667 in the county, with a population density of 29.292/sq mi (11.310/km2). There were 8,062 housing units, of which 7,282 were occupied.[10]

2000 census
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Clay County

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 17,372 people, 7,259 households, and 4,776 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12/km2). There were 7,828 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.08% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. 1.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 7,259 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.60% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.20% were non-families. 29.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,799, and the median income for a family was $42,769. Males had a median income of $30,163 versus $21,068 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,451. About 6.30% of families and 8.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The county has been based on farming. The 1980s farm crisis caused some families to have to give up their farms, and farms have been merged to industrial scale. The population has declined since 1980.

At one point Great Lakes Airlines was headquartered in Summit Township, Clay County.[12][13]

Communities

Cities

Townships

Clay County is divided into these townships:

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Clay County.[14]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † Spencer City 11,233
2 Everly City 603
3 Royal City 446
4 Peterson City 334
5 Fostoria City 231
6 Dickens City 185
7 Webb City 141
8 Greenville City 75
9 Rossie City 70
10 Gillett Grove City 49

Politics

For most of its history, Clay County has primarily voted for Republican party candidates in presidential elections. Exceptions to this include Bull Moose candidate & former president Theodore Roosevelt winning a majority in 1912, the longest Democratic streak in its history when Franklin D. Roosevelt & Harry S. Truman were on the ballot from 1932 to 1948, Lyndon B. Johnson winning in a landslide statewide & nationally in 1964, Michael Dukakis getting a huge boost statewide thank to the Midwest farm crisis in 1988, & Bill Clinton benefiting from Ross Perot gaining significant minorities of the county's vote in 1992 & 1996. The level of Republican support has increased significantly in recent years, with Hillary Clinton posting the worst performance since 1952 when Adlai Stevenson won an identical percentage of the county's votes at 26.1%.

Presidential election results
Presidential Elections Results[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 68.2% 5,877 26.1% 2,249 5.7% 491
2012 58.2% 4,951 39.8% 3,385 2.0% 166
2008 51.8% 4,355 46.7% 3,925 1.5% 122
2004 57.0% 4,898 41.3% 3,547 1.7% 143
2000 52.7% 3,992 43.5% 3,294 3.9% 292
1996 40.9% 3,129 47.8% 3,659 11.3% 867
1992 35.9% 3,011 39.9% 3,346 24.1% 2,023
1988 46.3% 3,641 53.0% 4,173 0.7% 56
1984 53.5% 4,450 45.4% 3,774 1.1% 92
1980 51.1% 4,479 36.3% 3,179 12.6% 1,106
1976 53.5% 4,548 44.4% 3,776 2.1% 176
1972 59.3% 4,564 37.5% 2,887 3.2% 245
1968 56.7% 4,325 37.2% 2,840 6.1% 463
1964 38.7% 2,999 59.8% 4,631 1.5% 119
1960 60.0% 5,165 40.0% 3,437 0.0% 2
1956 62.4% 5,107 36.3% 2,970 1.4% 113
1952 72.6% 6,271 26.1% 2,258 1.3% 112
1948 43.6% 3,036 52.4% 3,649 4.0% 276
1944 45.4% 3,055 54.1% 3,639 0.5% 30
1940 45.8% 3,673 53.9% 4,328 0.3% 24
1936 36.6% 2,774 61.8% 4,691 1.6% 121
1932 38.4% 2,599 58.3% 3,944 3.3% 226
1928 65.5% 3,986 33.9% 2,064 0.6% 35
1924 61.0% 3,549 6.5% 378 32.6% 1,896
1920 80.1% 4,471 17.9% 1,001 2.0% 113
1916 55.4% 1,649 41.5% 1,234 3.1% 93
1912 24.0% 679 25.0% 707 50.9% 1,438
1908 69.7% 1,921 28.2% 778 2.1% 58
1904 78.7% 2,154 17.8% 487 3.5% 96
1900 72.8% 2,292 24.8% 781 2.4% 77
1896 66.0% 1,880 32.8% 933 1.3% 36

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 21, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 83.
  4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 24, 2019.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  10. "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010 - State -- County". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  12. "Welcome to Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd." Great Lakes Airlines. December 5, 1998. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
  13. "Spencer city, Iowa." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
  14. "Archived copy". Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 17, 2018.

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