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Clay County, Texas

Coordinates: 33°47′N 98°13′W / 33.79°N 98.21°W / 33.79; -98.21
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Clay County
County
Clay County Courthouse in Henrietta
Clay County Courthouse in Henrietta
Map of Texas highlighting Clay County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°47′N 98°13′W / 33.79°N 98.21°W / 33.79; -98.21
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1860
Named forHenry Clay
SeatHenrietta
Largest cityHenrietta
Area
 • Total
1,117 sq mi (2,890 km2)
 • Land1,089 sq mi (2,820 km2)
 • Water28 sq mi (70 km2)  2.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
10,218 Increase
 • Density9/sq mi (3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.co.clay.tx.us
The Clay County Leader newspaper office in Henrietta

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 10,218.[1][2] The county seat is Henrietta.[3] The county was founded in 1857 and later organized in 1860.[4] It is named in honor of Henry Clay,[5] famous American statesman, Kentucky Senator and United States Secretary of State. Clay County is part of the Wichita Falls, Metropolitan Statistical Area in North Texas.

The Wichita Falls rancher, oilman, and philanthropist Joseph Sterling Bridwell owned a ranch in Clay County, among his multiple holdings.[6]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,117 square miles (2,890 km2), of which 1,089 square miles (2,820 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (2.5%) is water.[7]

Lake Arrowhead State Park, a 524-acre (212 ha) development on Lake Arrowhead in Clay County, encompasses 14,390-acre (5,820 ha) acres. The lakeshore extends 106 miles; the park offers bicycling, birding, boating, camping, canoeing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, nature study, picnicking, swimming, and wildlife observation.[8]

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860109—
18805,045—
18907,50348.7%
19009,23123.0%
191017,04384.6%
192016,864−1.1%
193014,545−13.8%
194012,524−13.9%
19509,896−21.0%
19608,351−15.6%
19708,079−3.3%
19809,58218.6%
199010,0244.6%
200011,0069.8%
201010,752−2.3%
202010,218−5.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850–2010[10] 2010[11] 2020[12]
Clay County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[13] Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[12] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 10,317 9,941 8,941 93.74% 92.46% 87.50%
Black or African American alone (NH) 43 53 35 0.39% 0.49% 0.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 102 115 78 0.93% 1.07% 0.76%
Asian alone (NH) 11 28 50 0.10% 0.26% 0.49%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 1 0 0.01% 0.01% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 4 5 31 0.04% 0.05% 0.30%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 124 142 442 1.13% 1.32% 4.33%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 404 467 641 3.67% 4.34% 6.27%
Total 11,006 10,752 10,218 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%


As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 11,006 people, 4,323 households, and 3,181 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (3.9 people/km2). There were 4,992 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.35% White, 0.42% Black or African American, 1.03% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 3.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. At 89.4% of the county's population, Clay County has the highest percentage of Non-Hispanic Whites in the state of Texas.[15]

There were 4,323 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,738, and the median income for a family was $41,514. Males had a median income of $28,914 versus $20,975 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,361. About 8.10% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.70% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

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Major highways

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Farm to Market Roads

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Communities

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Cities

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Town

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns

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Politics

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Clay County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican James Frank, a businessman from Wichita Falls.

Prior to 1996, Clay County was strongly Democratic in presidential elections. The only Republican Party candidates who managed to win the county from 1912 to 1992 were Herbert Hoover thanks to anti-Catholic sentiment towards Al Smith as well as Richard Nixon & Ronald Reagan in their 49-state landslides of 1972 & 1984, respectively. Since 1996, the county has swung hard to the supporting Republican Party similar to almost all white-majority rural counties in the Solid South.

United States presidential election results for Clay County, Texas[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 5,288 89.51% 584 9.88% 36 0.61%
2020 5,069 88.13% 614 10.67% 69 1.20%
2016 4,377 87.23% 536 10.68% 105 2.09%
2012 4,266 84.36% 740 14.63% 51 1.01%
2008 4,213 78.91% 1,085 20.32% 41 0.77%
2004 3,971 75.09% 1,299 24.57% 18 0.34%
2000 3,112 67.11% 1,460 31.49% 65 1.40%
1996 1,997 48.00% 1,690 40.63% 473 11.37%
1992 1,586 32.30% 1,919 39.08% 1,405 28.62%
1988 2,043 47.07% 2,288 52.72% 9 0.21%
1984 2,569 58.04% 1,844 41.66% 13 0.29%
1980 1,824 44.39% 2,233 54.34% 52 1.27%
1976 1,200 31.72% 2,568 67.88% 15 0.40%
1972 1,893 64.28% 1,023 34.74% 29 0.98%
1968 936 29.49% 1,573 49.56% 665 20.95%
1964 659 21.82% 2,357 78.05% 4 0.13%
1960 1,019 37.49% 1,692 62.25% 7 0.26%
1956 990 35.26% 1,813 64.57% 5 0.18%
1952 1,272 38.36% 2,044 61.64% 0 0.00%
1948 332 12.85% 2,131 82.50% 120 4.65%
1944 311 10.44% 2,307 77.42% 362 12.15%
1940 427 15.30% 2,357 84.48% 6 0.22%
1936 196 8.24% 2,168 91.09% 16 0.67%
1932 151 5.98% 2,365 93.74% 7 0.28%
1928 1,327 53.36% 1,160 46.64% 0 0.00%
1924 318 17.35% 1,402 76.49% 113 6.16%
1920 446 24.49% 1,324 72.71% 51 2.80%
1916 177 11.35% 1,324 84.87% 59 3.78%
1912 54 4.49% 1,002 83.36% 146 12.15%

Education

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School districts serving sections of the county include:[17]

The county is in the service area of Vernon College.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Clay County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "Clay County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 83.
  6. ^ "Jack O. Loftin, "Joseph Sterling Bridwell"". Texas State Historical Association online. June 12, 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  8. ^ "Lake Arrowhead State Park". wildtexas.com. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  11. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Clay County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  15. ^ "Texas White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent by County". www.indexmundi.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  16. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  17. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Throckmorton County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2022. - Text list
  18. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
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33°47′N 98°13′W / 33.79°N 98.21°W / 33.79; -98.21

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