1st Advantage MortgageClay County households have a median income of $39,972 and median rent of $557 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Clay County
- How Clay County residents earn a living
- How much Clay County households make
- Housing costs in Clay County
- How Clay County compares with nearby counties
- Places inside Clay County
- What a median Clay County budget can carry
- Reading the Clay County data as a borrower
- Clay County households compared
- A Clay County borrower's checklist
- Lender oversight for Clay County
- More guides for Clay County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Clay County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Clay County's population at 7,670; only 89 of Tennessee's 95 county-level areas are larger. Spread over 237 square miles, that works out to roughly 32.4 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 1 Census place inside Clay County, Celina leads by population with about 1,941. Because Clay County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
How Clay County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Clay County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 22% of workers, followed by construction (15%). The sharpest difference from the state is in construction, at 15% locally and 7% for Tennessee. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 10.0% in Clay County. About 85% drive to work alone and 26% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 6.7% of the total (5.2% statewide).
| Sector | Clay County | Compared with Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% | +0.1 pts |
| Construction | 15.4% | +8.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.2% | +2.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.3% | -3.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.1% | -2.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 7.9% | +7.1 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
How much Clay County households make
At $39,972, the typical Clay County household income is 39% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Clay County | Compared with Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 43.0% | +19.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.5% | -2.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 17.0% | -7.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 0.5% | -8.5 pts |
About 43% of households earn under $35,000, while 17% clear $100,000. Census counts 24.2% of Clay County residents in poverty, against 13.8% across Tennessee. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.437 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Housing costs in Clay County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $557 in Clay County versus $1,189 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 33% of renter households here. Home values center on $136,400, or 3.4 years of median income. 74% of Clay County households own their home and 26% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1985.
| Home costs | Clay County | Tennessee | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $557/mo | $1,189/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $136,400 | $286,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 33% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 35% | 25% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 13% | 10% | n/a |
Because most Clay County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
How Clay County compares with nearby counties
Monroe County is closest, 15 miles from center to center; the sixth, Clinton County, is 26 miles off. All of the six report a higher median household income than Clay County; Macon County is highest at $59,177 and Cumberland County lowest at $40,000. The list crosses into Kentucky, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | - | $39,972 | $557/mo | 74% |
| Monroe County, KY | 15 mi | $51,280 | $657/mo | 71% |
| Jackson County, TN | 15 mi | $47,951 | $758/mo | 81% |
| Cumberland County, KY | 19 mi | $40,000 | $523/mo | 76% |
| Overton County, TN | 20 mi | $48,959 | $832/mo | 77% |
| Macon County, TN | 25 mi | $59,177 | $846/mo | 74% |
| Clinton County, KY | 26 mi | $44,844 | $617/mo | 71% |
Places inside Clay County
Celina is the only Census place mainly inside Clay County, with about 1,941 of the county's 7,670 residents. Live in one of these Clay County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celina | city | 1,941 | $32,220 | $536 | 2 mi |
What a median Clay County budget can carry
How much room does a median Clay County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $3,331 gross per month ($39,972 / 12)
- Housing at the median rent of $557 uses 17%
- With a 43% ceiling, about $875 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Reading the Clay County data as a borrower
Based on the Clay County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Commuter costs. 26% drive 45 minutes or more. Compare shop financing with a loan, and keep a small repair fund.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 29% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Fixed incomes. Clay County's median age is 48.5. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
- 24% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
Clay County households compared
11% of Clay County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 8.2%, against 10.0% for Tennessee.
| Indicator | Clay County | All of Tennessee | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 38.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 11.5% | 31.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 15.2% | 10.0% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.2% | 10.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.7% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 12.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 24.2% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 10.0% | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Clay County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 24.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 15.5% |
| 60+ min | 10.5% |
A Clay County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Clay County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Lender oversight for Clay County
Clay County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on Tennessee: Tennessee personal loans.
More guides for Clay County
The Tennessee guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Clay County?
$39,972 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $69,595 for Tennessee. It ranks 93rd of 95 in the state.
How much is rent in Clay County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $557 a month; 33% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Clay County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Celina.
Does living in Clay County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Clay County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Who regulates personal lenders for Clay County residents?
The Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Tennessee; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.