Clay County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,318, and was estimated to be 67,734 in 2025.

Clay County is part of the Fargo, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Breckenridge County was created on March 18, 1858. Clay County was established on November 2, 1860 as Breckinridge County and named for John C. Breckinridge, vice president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. After the Civil War began, Breckinridge joined the Confederate Army and in March 1862 the state Legislature replaced the name of Breckinridge with that of Henry Clay (1777–1852), who like Breckinridge was from Lexington, Ky., and was known "The Great Pacificator" or "The Great Compromiser" who helped head off civil war at least twice. The county's government was not organized until 1872, after the Northern Pacific Railway reached the area and settlement accelerated.

Geography

Clay County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its western boundary line abuts the eastern boundary line of the state of North Dakota (across the Red River). The Red River flows northward along the western boundary line of the county, on its way to the Hudson Bay in Canada. The Buffalo River flows west-northwesterly through the center of the county, joined by the South Branch Buffalo River west of Glyndon, before discharging into the Red on the county's western border near Georgetown. The terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its eastern portion. The terrain slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near the southeastern corner, at ASL.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.71%) is water. It is the 19th largest county in Minnesota by total area.

Major highways

Transit

  • MATBUS
  • Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

  • Norman County - north
  • Becker County - east
  • Otter Tail County - southeast
  • Wilkin County - south
  • Richland County, North Dakota - southwest
  • Cass County, North Dakota - west

Protected areas

  • Aspen State Wildlife Management Area
  • Bjornson State Wildlife Management Area
  • Bluestone Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Clay County State Wildlife Management Area
  • Cromwell State Wildlife Management Area
  • Felton Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Goose Prairie State Wildlife Management Area
  • Gruhl State Wildlife Management Area
  • Hawley State Wildlife Management Area
  • Hay Creek State Wildlife Management Area
  • Highland State Wildlife Management Area
  • Hitterdal State Wildlife Management Area
  • Jeral State Wildlife Management Area
  • Magnusson State Wildlife Management Area
  • Skree State Wildlife Management Area
  • Ulen State Wildlife Management Area
  • Ulen Wildlife Refuge

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Moorhead have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1887 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936, the latter also the highest recorded temperature in the history of Minnesota. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in June.

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|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census:

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 25,939 estimated households in Clay County with an average of 2.41 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $77,664. Approximately 13.1% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Clay County has an estimated 70.5% employment rate, with 39.0% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 95.0% holding a high school diploma.

The median age in the county was 34.1 years.

Racial and ethnic composition

Clay County, Minnesota – racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 95%;"

|-

! Race / ethnicity <small>(NH = non-Hispanic)</small>

! Pop. 1980 !! Pop. 1990 !! Pop. 2000 !! Pop. 2010 !!

|-

| White alone (NH)

| 48,210<br>(97.74%) || 48,111<br>(95.42%) || 47,330<br>(92.39%) || 53,434<br>(90.57%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |54,424<br>(83.32%)

|-

| Black or African American alone (NH)

| 145<br>(0.29%) || 164<br>(0.33%) || 261<br>(0.51%) || 825<br>(1.40%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |3,141<br>(4.81%)

|-

| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

| 202<br>(0.41%) || 537<br>(1.07%) || 688<br>(1.34%) || 744<br>(1.26%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |1,032<br>(1.58%)

|-

| Asian alone (NH)

| 171<br>(0.35%) || 394<br>(0.78%) || 439<br>(0.86%) || 836<br>(1.42%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |764<br>(1.17%)

|-

| Pacific Islander alone (NH)

| — || — || 14<br>(0.03%) || 17<br>(0.03%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |16<br>(0.02%)

|-

| Other race alone (NH)

| 115<br>(0.23%) || 37<br>(0.07%) || 14<br>(0.03%) || 38<br>(0.06%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |134<br>(0.21%)

|-

| Mixed race or multiracial (NH)

| — || — || 611<br>(1.19%) || 1,049<br>(1.78%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |2,796<br>(4.28%)

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (any race)

| 484<br>(0.98%) || 1,179<br>(2.34%) || 1,872<br>(3.65%) || 2,056<br>(3.48%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |3,011<br>(4.61%)

|-

| Total

| 49,327<br>(100.00%) || 50,422<br>(100.00%) || 51,229<br>(100.00%) || 58,999<br>(100.00%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |65,318<br>(100.00%)

|}

2023 estimate

thumb|right|2022 US Census [[population pyramid for Clay County, from ACS 5-year estimates]]

As of the 2023 estimate, there were 66,258 people and 25,939 households residing in the county. There were 27,851 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 87.9% White (84.0% NH White), 5.7% African American, 2.0% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.1% of the population.

In the 2023 estimate, Clay County is the 68th wealthiest county in Minnesota. $53,925 for per capita income.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 65,318. The median age was 33.9 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.9 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 84.9% White, 4.9% Black or African American, 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 5.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.6% of the population.

There were 24,931 households in the county, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.2% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

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{| class="wikitable"

|+County Board of Commissioners

! District

! Commissioner

! Assumed office

! Current term ends

|-

| 1st || Paul Krabbenhoft (Vice-Chair) || 2021 || January 2029

|-

| 2nd || Ezra Baer || 2025 || January 2029

|-

| 3rd || Jenny Mongeau (Board Chair)|| 2015 || January 2027

|-

| 4th || Kevin Campbell || 2003 || January 2027

|-

| 5th || David Ebinger || 2025 || January 2029

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+State Legislature (2023–2025)

! colspan="2" |Position

! Name

! Affiliation

! District

|-

| style="background-color:" |

| Senate

| Rob Kupec

| DFL

| District 4

|-

| style="background-color:" |

| House of Representatives

| Heather Keeler

| DFL

| District 4A

|-

| style="background-color:" |

| House of Representatives

| Jim Joy

| Republican

| District 4B

|}

{| class="wikitable"

|+U.S Congress (2023–2025)

! colspan="2" |Position

! Name

! Affiliation

! District

|-

| style="background-color:" |

| House of Representatives

| Michelle Fischbach

| Republican

| 7th

|-

| style="background-color:" |

| Senate

| Amy Klobuchar

| DFL

| N/A

|-

| style="background-color:" |

| Senate

| Tina Smith

| DFL

| N/A

|}

Communities

Cities

  • Barnesville
  • Comstock
  • Dilworth
  • Felton
  • Georgetown
  • Glyndon
  • Hawley
  • Hitterdal
  • Moorhead (county seat)
  • Sabin
  • Ulen

Census-designated places

  • Baker

Unincorporated communities

  • Averill
  • Dale
  • Downer
  • Kragnes
  • Manitoba Junction
  • Muskoda
  • Rollag
  • Rustad
  • Tansem
  • Winnipeg Junction

Townships

  • Alliance Township
  • Barnesville Township
  • Cromwell Township
  • Eglon Township
  • Elkton Township
  • Elmwood Township
  • Felton Township
  • Flowing Township
  • Georgetown Township
  • Glyndon Township
  • Goose Prairie Township
  • Hagen Township
  • Hawley Township
  • Highland Grove Township
  • Holy Cross Township
  • Humboldt Township
  • Keene Township
  • Kragnes Township
  • Kurtz Township
  • Moland Township
  • Moorhead Township
  • Morken Township
  • Oakport Township
  • Parke Township
  • Riverton Township
  • Skree Township
  • Spring Prairie Township
  • Tansem Township
  • Ulen Township
  • Viding Township

Former census-designated place

  • Oakport (part of Moorhead since 2015)

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Clay County, Minnesota

References

  • Clay County – official website