Editing Clay, Kentucky

{{Distinguish|Clay County, Kentucky}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Clay, Kentucky
|settlement_type          = [[list of cities in Kentucky|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Clay-Main-St-ky.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Main Street ([[Kentucky Route 109|KY 109]])
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Webster County Kentucky Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Clay Highlighted 2115202.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Clay in Webster County, Kentucky.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Kentucky]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Kentucky|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Webster County, Kentucky|Webster]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_21.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 18, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.87
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.86
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 1031
|population_density_sq_mi = 1196.06
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_ft             = 381
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|28|41|N|87|49|15|W|region:US-KY|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 42404
|area_code                = [[Area code 270|270]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 21-15202
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0489565
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|area_total_km2 = 2.25
|area_land_km2 = 2.23
|area_water_km2 = 0.02
|population_density_km2 = 461.86
}}
'''Clay''' is a [[list of Kentucky cities|home rule-class city]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.klc.org/UserFiles/files/ClassificationReformFACT(3).pdf |title=Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform |publisher=Kentucky League of Cities |accessdate=December 30, 2014}}</ref> in [[Webster County, Kentucky|Webster County]], [[Kentucky]], in the United States. The population was 1,031 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. Settled in 1837, the city is named for the statesman [[Henry Clay]].<ref>{{cite book |title=''Encyclopedia of Kentucky'' |chapter=Dictionary of Places: Clay |publisher=Somerset Publishers |location=[[New York, New York]] |year=1987 |isbn=0-403-09981-1}}</ref> In 2022, it became a wet city after a petition put the measure on the ballot.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-05-18|title=Clay prepares for start of alcohol sales after wet-dry vote|url=https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/your-local-election-hq/clay-prepares-for-start-of-alcohol-sales-after-wet-dry-vote/|access-date=2022-12-04|website=Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW)|language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
A post office was established in 1837 when the community was called '''Ashland''', for [[Ashland (Henry Clay estate)|Henry Clay's Lexington estate]]. It was renamed Clay in 1854. The city incorporated as "Claysville" in 1860, though the name was shortened to "Clay" in 1872.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Lac2FUSj_oC&dq=cannon+ky&pg=PA59 | title=Kentucky Place Names | publisher=University Press of Kentucky | year=1987 | accessdate=2013-04-28 | author=Rennick, Robert M. | pages=59| isbn=0813126312 }}</ref>

==Geography==
Clay is located at {{coord|37.477969|-87.820922|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}}.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>  The city is concentrated around the intersection of [[Kentucky Route 109]] and [[Kentucky Route 132]], northwest of [[Providence, Kentucky|Providence]].  The city of [[Wheatcroft, Kentucky|Wheatcroft]] lies just to the west along KY 109.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.9|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 170
|1880= 248
|1890= 323
|1900= 450
|1910= 1098
|1920= 1378
|1930= 1551
|1940= 1429
|1950= 1291
|1960= 1343
|1970= 1426
|1980= 1356
|1990= 1173
|2000= 1179
|2010= 1181
|2020= 1031
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 1,179 people, 485 households, and 333 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,300.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 541 housing units at an average density of {{convert|596.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 99.15% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.25% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.17% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.17% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], and 0.25% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.34% of the population.

There were 485 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,625, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $30,729 versus $16,538 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,545. About 10.7% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.1% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

The city was featured in [[The Statler Brothers]]' song "How are Things in Clay, Kentucky?" (1980). The song was later covered by Wilson Fairchild, the country duo composed of Wil and Langdon Reid, sons of The Statler Brothers' two actual brothers, Harold and Don Reid.

==Education==
The [[Webster County School District (Kentucky)|Webster County School District]] operates the public schools that serve Clay.

Clay Elementary School serves students Pre-School-6. In the late 1990s, a new gym and cafeteria were built for the school.

[[Webster County High School (Kentucky)|Webster County High School]] (in [[Dixon, Kentucky|Dixon]]) serves high school students, while the Middle School is attached to the High School

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Clay, Kentucky}}

{{Webster County, Kentucky}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1837]]
[[Category:Cities in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Cities in Webster County, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Evansville metropolitan area]]