Clay, St. Clair County, Michigan Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Clay, Michigan, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Clay, Michigan. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Clay, Michigan. The estimated population of Clay, Michigan is 8,469 people, with a median age of 54.

We can look at the total population in Clay over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
8,469
-4.52% -4.49%
2020
8,870
-0.05% -
2019
8,874
-0.01% -
2018
8,875
+0.09%
-
2017
8,867
- -

Population of Clay, Michigan by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
94.7%
98%
-3.37%
Black/African American
0%
0%
0.00%
Native
0.3%
0.2%
+50.00%
Hispanic
1.5%
0.4%
+275.00%
Asian
1.7%
0.5%
+240.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.1%
0.1%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.7%
0.8%
+112.50%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Clay, Michigan by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 54 +1.89% 54.2 +4.63% 53.9 -0.74%
2020 53 -0.38% 51.8 +0.58% 54.3 -2.51%
2019 53.2 +0.95% 51.5 0% 55.7 +2.96%
2018 52.7 +2.73% 51.5 +3% 54.1 +3.84%
2017 51.3 - 50 - 52.1 -

The median age of Clay, Michigan gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 316 -15.75% 457 +17.64% 256 532
10 to 19 518 -26.27% 373 +14.2% 380 399
20 to 29 492 -15.99% 386 -21.02% 405 302
30 to 39 363 -4.16% 424 -14.72% 336 361
40 to 49 573 -30.08% 342 -15.8% 418 288
50 to 59 756 +11.12% 866 -21.03% 833 693
60 to 69 850 +7.37% 750 +12.13% 905 843
70+ 650 +3.87% 751 +13.33% 668 850

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Clay, Michigan is $67,386.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Clay.

  • Under 25
    $54,177.00
  • 25 to 44
    $88,500.00
  • 45 to 64
    $83,176.00
  • 65 and over
    $54,537.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Clay, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Clay, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Clay, Michigan is currently $87,648.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

5.72% of households in Clay are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Clay against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    12.83%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    20.55%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    21.52%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.29%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    17.14%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    7.95%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.72%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Clay is $40,152.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Clay by the total population of Clay.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Clay, Michigan, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Clay to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    12.30%
  • Bachelor's degree
    17.74%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    18.02%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    48.09%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.84%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Clay that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Clay over the age of 16 is 7,263.

Of those people, a total of 51.00% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Clay is 47.40%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 361 53.50% 28.00%
20 to 24 years 408 94.10% 13.00%
25 to 29 years 299 91.00% 4.00%
30 to 34 years 375 84.30% 3.20%
35 to 44 years 615 70.40% 10.60%
45 to 54 years 1,150 81.00% 5.90%
55 to 59 years 789 62.90% 3.80%
60 to 64 years 882 46.80% 2.40%
65 to 74 years 1,457 13.90% 2.50%
75 years and over 927 6.90% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Clay. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 6,990 50.30% 7.10%
Black or African American 2 100.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 18 38.90% 100.00%
Asian 112 62.50% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 7 100.00% 0.00%
Other 9 77.80% 0.00%
Two or more races 125 77.60% 5.20%
Hispanic or Latino 60 11.70% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 6,937 50.70% 7.10%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Clay as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Clay is 3,444, with median earnings of $46,944.00.

Women in Clay, Michigan earning approximately 43.00% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 3,444 $46,944.00
Male 2,047 $65,016.00
Female 1,397 $27,989.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 240 $73,529.00
Business and Financial 121 $88,977.00
Computer and Mathematical 40 $95,208.00
Architecture and Engineering 146 $96,786.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 66 $40,714.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 164 $41,103.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 60 $31,111.00
Healthcare Practitioners 318 $71,364.00
Healthcare Support 71 $19,531.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 50 $80,750.00
Law Enforcement 8 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 205 $11,425.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 26 $31,389.00
Personal Care and Service 92 $11,458.00
Sales 415 $34,435.00
Office and Administrative Support 267 $40,708.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 12 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 602 $65,208.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 187 $63,750.00
Production 173 $34,219.00
Transportation and Material Moving 80 $23,879.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 187 $90,341.00 53 $32,454.00
Business and Financial 61 $101,750.00 60 $54,500.00
Computer and Mathematical 12 $0.00 28 $53,438.00
Architecture and Engineering 127 $96,741.00 19 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 21 $34,375.00 45 $41,036.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 88 $41,838.00 76 $14,722.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 18 $0.00 42 $31,389.00
Healthcare Practitioners 75 $73,194.00 243 $70,795.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 71 $19,531.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 50 $80,750.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 8 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 64 $135,549.00 141 $10,975.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 18 $0.00 8 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 12 $0.00 80 $25,061.00
Sales 238 $49,375.00 177 $26,528.00
Office and Administrative Support 77 $65,568.00 190 $26,522.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 12 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 602 $65,208.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 128 $66,875.00 59 $0.00
Production 91 $57,917.00 82 $23,235.00
Transportation and Material Moving 80 $23,879.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 3,898 households in Clay, with an average household size of 2.17 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 2,522 families in Clay with an average family size of 2.63 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 1,955 295 272 1,376
Average Household Size 2.62 3.15 2.68 1.22
Total Families 1,955 295 272 0
Average Household Size 2.61 2.94 2.42 0

Poverty

Of the 2,522 families in Clay, 6.10% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Clay:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 5,495 housing units in Clay, Michigan.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 3,898 70.94%
Vacant 1,597 29.06%

4.33% of the total 5,495 housing units in Clay are rental units. This is approximately 238 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 3,630 are occupied by the owner - or 66.06% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Clay is $1,003.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Clay that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    30
  • Less than $500
    0
  • $500 to $999
    118
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    110
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    10
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Clay is $231,600.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Clay that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    336
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    115
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    588
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    505
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    1,059
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    827
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    171
  • $1,000,000 or more
    29

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Clay. The chart below shows the number of properties in Clay that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    813
  • 1940 to 1949
    396
  • 1950 to 1959
    601
  • 1960 to 1969
    687
  • 1970 to 1979
    913
  • 1980 to 1989
    542
  • 1990 to 1999
    892
  • 2000 to 2009
    537
  • 2010 to 2013
    102
  • 2014 or later
    12

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Clay that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    55
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,154
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,776
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    913

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Clay get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Clay that commute to work in a particular way.

37.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Clay.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    73
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    217
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    265
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    125
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    304
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    206
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    374
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    128
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    317
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    557
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    519
  • 90 or more minutes
    127

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Clay, Michigan in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.