Clay County is a county in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,051. Its county seat is Clay. The county was founded in 1858 and 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. Clay County is part of the Charleston, WV Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.
In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts. Clay County was divided into four districts: Buffalo, Henry, Pleasant, and Union. A fifth district, Otter, was created from part of Henry in 1876. Between 1990 and 2000, these districts were consolidated into Districts A, B, and C. The county has access to Interstate 79 at the Big Otter and Wallback exits. In 2025, the Mountain Transit Authority began providing public transportation services to Clay County.
Major highways
- 20px Interstate 79
- 20px West Virginia Route 4
- 20px West Virginia Route 16
- 20px West Virginia Route 36
Adjacent counties
- Calhoun County (north)
- Braxton County (northeast)
- Nicholas County (southeast)
- Kanawha County (west)
- Roane County (northwest)