1st Advantage MortgageClay County households have a median income of $81,172 and median rent of $1,019 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- A quick profile of Clay County
- What it costs to live in Clay County
- What Clay County households earn
- Work, industries and travel time in Clay County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Clay County
- Clay County and the counties next door
- More Clay County figures
- Local borrowing considerations for Clay County
- What a median Clay County budget can carry
- Four steps for Clay County borrowers
- Minnesota rules that apply in Clay County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Clay County
Clay County is home to about 66,059 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 16th most populous of 87 county-level areas in Minnesota. It covers 1,045 square miles of land, or about 63 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Fargo, ND-MN metropolitan area. Moorhead is the biggest of its 12 Census places, at roughly 45,036 people (68% of the county total).
What it costs to live in Clay County
A typical Clay County rental runs $1,019 a month including utilities, which is 20% below Minnesota. 53% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 30% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $265,500, about 3.3 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 66%.
| Measure | Clay County | Minnesota | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,019/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $265,500 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 53% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 2.2% | 2.9% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
What Clay County households earn
Half of Clay County households take in less than $81,172 a year and half take in more, 9% below the Minnesota median of $89,062. Only 18 Minnesota counties post a higher median.
| Households earning | Clay County | +/- vs Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.7% | +5.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.5% | -0.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.2% | +0.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 8.7% | -5.1 pts |
About 23% of households earn under $35,000, while 40% clear $100,000. Census counts 13.3% of Clay County residents in poverty, against 9.3% across Minnesota. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Clay County median.
Work, industries and travel time in Clay County
By the Census industry count, 29% of employed Clay County residents work in education and health care and 10% in retail trade. The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 29% locally and 26% for Minnesota. The survey's unemployment rate for Clay County averages 4.1% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.1%). Long commutes are the exception here: 7% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 9.1% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Top industries | Clay County share | +/- vs Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.7% | +2.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.3% | -0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.1% | -1.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.7% | -4.7 pts |
| Construction | 7.5% | +1.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.4% | +0.3 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Clay County
Here are the 12 most populous of the county's 12 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 87% of Clay County residents live in one of the 12. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $72,761 in Moorhead to $128,500 in Sabin. Rent is cheapest in Glyndon ($667) and steepest in Dilworth ($1,085). Live in one of these Clay County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhead | city | 45,036 | $72,761 | $1,033 | 12 mi |
| Dilworth | city | 4,713 | $90,694 | $1,085 | 10 mi |
| Barnesville | city | 2,762 | $97,917 | $848 | 18 mi |
| Hawley | city | 2,178 | $99,188 | $733 | 8 mi |
| Glyndon | city | 1,098 | $95,313 | $667 | 4 mi |
| Sabin | city | 718 | $128,500 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Ulen | city | 413 | $60,556 | $903 | 17 mi |
| Hitterdal | city | 314 | $48,750 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Felton | city | 186 | $40,000 | $525 | 12 mi |
| Comstock | city | 100 | $76,250 | n/a | 20 mi |
| Georgetown | city | 72 | $41,750 | n/a | 19 mi |
| Baker | CDP | 52 | $101,250 | n/a | 13 mi |
Clay County and the counties next door
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (30 to 49 miles). Income ranges from $59,441 in Mahnomen County to $75,555 in Cass County; none of these neighbors top Clay County's median. Some neighbors are in North Dakota. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Clay County resident follows Minnesota rules.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | - | $81,172 | $1,019/mo | 66% |
| Norman County, MN | 30 mi | $72,260 | $774/mo | 79% |
| Becker County, MN | 36 mi | $71,388 | $920/mo | 77% |
| Cass County, ND | 36 mi | $75,555 | $958/mo | 52% |
| Wilkin County, MN | 37 mi | $71,410 | $564/mo | 80% |
| Mahnomen County, MN | 44 mi | $59,441 | $696/mo | 73% |
| Richland County, ND | 49 mi | $75,432 | $740/mo | 68% |
More Clay County figures
39% of Clay County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 4.0% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Clay County | All of Minnesota | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 39.3% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.7% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.0% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.1% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Clay County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 36.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.2% |
| 60+ min | 3.6% |
Local borrowing considerations for Clay County
A few patterns in the Clay County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Tight rental budgets. With 53% of Clay County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
What a median Clay County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Clay County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $6,764 gross per month ($81,172 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $1,019 uses 15%
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,416 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Four steps for Clay County borrowers
A short checklist for Clay County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Clay County-area credit union.
- Verify the Minnesota license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Minnesota rules that apply in Clay County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Clay County borrowers answers to the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: Minnesota guide.
Related local guides
The Minnesota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Clay County?
$81,172 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $89,062 for Minnesota. It ranks 19th of 87 in the state.
What do renters pay in Clay County?
$1,019 a month at the median, about 15% of median household income.
Which towns does the Clay County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 12 Census places: Moorhead, Dilworth, Barnesville, Hawley, Glyndon.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Clay County or elsewhere in Minnesota, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for Clay County residents?
The Minnesota Department of Commerce licenses consumer lenders in Minnesota; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.