1st Advantage MortgageIn Clay County, Alabama, the typical household earns $55,250 a year and the typical rent is $619. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Clay County, AL: the basics
- Paychecks and income spread in Clay County
- How Clay County residents earn a living
- Rent, home values and ownership in Clay County
- Clay County next to its neighbors
- Places inside Clay County
- Debt-to-income at Clay County's medians
- People and households in Clay County
- Local borrowing considerations for Clay County
- Four steps for Clay County borrowers
- Licensing and complaints for Clay County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Clay County, AL: the basics
Roughly 14,192 residents live in Clay County, Alabama, 56th by population among the state's 67 counties and county equivalents. It covers 604 square miles of land, or about 23 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 5 places in the county (2 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Lineville, with about 2,546 residents, or 18% of the county.
Paychecks and income spread in Clay County
Half of Clay County households take in less than $55,250 a year and half take in more, 14% below the Alabama median of $63,999. Only 30 Alabama counties post a higher median.
| Income band | Share in Clay County | Difference from Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 34.0% | +5.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.7% | +1.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.2% | -2.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.2% | -4.6 pts |
The spread is wide: 23% of Clay County households make $100,000 or more, and 34% make less than $35,000. Census counts 17.6% of Clay County residents in poverty, against 15.6% across Alabama. For a borrower in Clay County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Clay County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Clay County residents, by industry, is manufacturing at 29% of workers, followed by education and health care (18%). Compared with Alabama, the county leans toward manufacturing (29% against 14%). The survey's unemployment rate for Clay County averages 2.4% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.7%). Long commutes are common here: 21% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 5.8% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Clay County | Gap to Alabama |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 29.4% | +15.4 pts |
| Education and health care | 17.7% | -5.0 pts |
| Construction | 12.8% | +5.8 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.3% | +2.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 5.9% | -5.7 pts |
| Other services | 5.3% | +0.5 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Rent, home values and ownership in Clay County
Renters in Clay County pay a median of $619 a month, 39% below the Alabama figure of $1,007. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 41% of renter households here. With a median value of $156,700, a typical Clay County house costs 2.8 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 79%. The median year built is 1984.
| Home costs | Clay County | Alabama | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $619/mo | $1,007/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $156,700 | $209,900 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 24% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 22.1% | 12.3% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Clay County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Clay County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Clay County's, from 19 to 35 miles away. Tallapoosa County leads the group on income ($59,356), Randolph County trails ($52,338), and Clay County out-earns 2 of the six.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | - | $55,250 | $619/mo | 79% |
| Talladega County, AL | 19 mi | $57,776 | $785/mo | 72% |
| Randolph County, AL | 23 mi | $52,338 | $708/mo | 77% |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | 28 mi | $59,356 | $765/mo | 76% |
| Coosa County, AL | 32 mi | $57,355 | $665/mo | 82% |
| Cleburne County, AL | 34 mi | $55,345 | $798/mo | 79% |
| Calhoun County, AL | 35 mi | $55,029 | $826/mo | 70% |
Places inside Clay County
Here are the 5 most populous of the county's 5 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 39% of Clay County residents live in one of the 5. None of the 5 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lineville | city | 2,546 | $38,302 | $658 | 7 mi |
| Ashland | town | 1,797 | $42,308 | $366 | 2 mi |
| Hollins | CDP | 465 | $55,398 | n/a | 18 mi |
| Millerville | CDP | 447 | $96,071 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Delta | CDP | 225 | $75,969 | n/a | 16 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Debt-to-income at Clay County's medians
Here is the Clay County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Monthly gross at the median, Clay County: $4,604
- Rent at the median, $619, takes 13% of that
- At 36%, room after rent is $1,038 a month
- Under a 43% cap, $1,980 total minus rent leaves $1,361
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Clay County's.
People and households in Clay County
15% of Clay County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 7.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Clay County | All of Alabama | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.7 | 39.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.7% | 28.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.8% | 11.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.2% | 9.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 15.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.4% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Clay County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 13.0% |
| 60+ min | 8.0% |
Local borrowing considerations for Clay County
Where the Clay County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Long drives. With 21% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Clay County budgets.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 22% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Consolidating cards in Clay County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
Four steps for Clay County borrowers
A short checklist for Clay County borrowers:
- Price the Clay County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- A Alabama license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Licensing and complaints for Clay County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Clay County, check the Alabama State Banking Department. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Alabama guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Alabama guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clay County a high-income county?
Its $55,250 median ranks 31st of 67 Alabama counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Clay County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $619 against $1,007 statewide, and 41% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in Clay County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 79% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Clay County?
By population: Lineville, Ashland, Hollins, Millerville, Delta. The county has 5 Census places in all.
Can Clay County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Alabama county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.