Clay County, Georgia

History

This area was historically occupied by the Creek Indians until Indian Removal in the 1830s. European Americans pushed them out and developed the land for cotton, bringing in thousands of African slaves to work the land.

The county is named in honor of Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. Part of the Black Belt geological formation of Georgia, prior to the American Civil War the county's chief commodity crop was cotton, cultivated and processed by farmers and African-American slaves. After the war, the economy continued to be agricultural, but timber was also harvested.

Clay was created by a February 16, 1854, act of the Georgia General Assembly, and organized from portions of Early and Randolph counties.

Clay County's population is one-third of what it was in 1910.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 217 sqmi, of which 195 sqmi is land and 22 sqmi (10.1%) is water.

The central and southwestern portions of Clay County, from west of Bluffton to northwest of Coleman, are located in the Lower Chattahoochee River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The county's northwestern corner, which is bisected by State Route 39 running north from Fort Gaines, is located in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Walter F. George Lake sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. Just the very southeastern corner of Clay County is located in the Spring Creek sub-basin of the same larger ACF River Basin.

Major highways

• [[File:US 27.svg|20px]] U.S. Route 27
• [[File:Georgia 1.svg|20px]] State Route 1
• [[File:Georgia 37.svg|20px]] State Route 37
• [[File:Georgia 39.svg|20px]] State Route 39
• [[File:Georgia 266.svg|25px]] State Route 266

Adjacent counties

• Quitman County - north
• Randolph County - northeast
• Calhoun County - east
• Early County - south
• Henry County, Alabama - west
• Barbour County, Alabama - northwest

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1930-1940 1940-1950 1960-1980 1980-2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 2,848 people, 1,250 households, and 708 families residing in the county. Of the residents, 21.1% were under the age of 18 and 25.9% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 47.1 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.9 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 40.4% White, 56.1% Black or African American, 0.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

There were 1,250 households in the county, of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 35.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,961 housing units, of which 36.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.2% were owner-occupied and 28.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.7%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 3,183 people, 1,331 households, and 869 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213015658/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13061 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213192446/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US13061 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024436/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US13061 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

Of the 1,331 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 22.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.7% were non-families, and 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age was 45.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,250 and the median income for a family was $31,354. Males had a median income of $29,440 versus $23,816 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,353. About 25.5% of families and 34.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 56.7% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.{{cite web |access-date=December 27, 2015 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213013543/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13061 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,357 people, 1,347 households, and 928 families living in the county. The population density was 17 /mi2. There were 1,925 housing units at an average density of 10 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 60.47% Black or African American, 38.43% White, 0.12% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,347 households, out of which 25.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.70% were married couples living together, 23.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 21.00% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 83.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,448, and the median income for a family was $27,837. Males had a median income of $26,557 versus $17,083 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,819. About 28.10% of families and 31.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.40% of those under age 18 and 23.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Main article: Fort Gaines, Georgia#Education

Communities

Cities

• Bluffton
• Fort Gaines

Unincorporated communities

• Pecan
• Suttons Corner
• Zetto

Ghost town

• Oketeyeconne

Politics

As of the 2020s, Clay County is a Democratic stronghold, voting 53% for Kamala Harris in 2024. Clay County was previously one of the most consistently voting Democratic counties in the country. It voted for the Democratic nominee in every election from 1868 until 1960, and then again since 1976. In the 2022 Georgia state elections, however, Clay County voted for every Republican candidate except Herschel Walker. This has resulted in the county becoming a swing county. In 2024, Donald Trump lost the county by less than 8 points, the closest a Republican presidential candidate has come to carrying the county since Richard Nixon won it in his 1972 landslide.

For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Clay County is part of Georgia's 2nd congressional district, currently represented by Sanford Bishop. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Clay County is part of District 12. For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Clay County is part of District 154.

References

;General

;Specific

• Georgia Snapshots - Clay County
• GeorgiaInfo Clay County Courthouse history

References

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2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
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4. Krakow, Kenneth K.. (1975). "Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins". Winship Press.
5. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
6. "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission.
7. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
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14. (1980). "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia".
15. (2000). "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia".
16. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Clay County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
17. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
18. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calhoun County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
19. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
20. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
21. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
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23. "Georgia General Assembly".
24. "Georgia General Assembly".
25. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".