How many people live in Clay County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 12,000 people living in Clay County, NC. That makes Clay County the 92nd-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 0.11% of people living in the state.
12K
population of Clay County, NC (2024)
0.11%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 12,000 people lived in Clay County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Clay County, NC’s age demographics?
About 4,200 Clay County, NC residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 35.2% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 1,800 Clay County residents, or 14.7% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Clay County, NC's population is aged 65 or older than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Clay County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 90.9% of the Clay County, NC population, higher than the national share of 57.5%.
In contrast, Clay County’s Hispanic population accounts for 4.7%, below the 20% nationwide, and the non-Hispanic Black or African American population makes up 1.4% of the county, compared with 12.6% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Clay County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic white population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Clay County, NC is Hayesville with about 481 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Clay County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Hayesville | 481 |
| 2. | Balance of Clay County | 11,561 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
