Clay County

Clay County is located in south-central Illinois, in the state’s lower interior between the Wabash River valley to the east and the larger urban centers of the St. Louis and Evansville regions farther west and south. Established in 1824 and named for statesman Henry Clay, the county developed as part of Illinois’s early agricultural settlement belt. Clay County is small in population, with fewer than 15,000 residents, and remains predominantly rural in character. Its landscape is largely flat to gently rolling, with extensive farmland and small communities connected by regional highways. The local economy has historically centered on row-crop agriculture and related services, with additional employment tied to public institutions and light industry. Cultural life reflects southern Illinois traditions, including community events rooted in church, school, and civic organizations. The county seat and principal administrative center is Louisville.

Clay County is a rural county in southeastern Illinois, within the state’s “Little Egypt” region. The county seat is Louisville, and county services are administered through local government offices in the county.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Clay County, Illinois, Clay County had an estimated population of 13,078 (2023).

Age & Gender

Age distribution and sex composition are published by the U.S. Census Bureau in the county profile. The most directly citable county-level figures are available through the county’s QuickFacts page and related Census profile tables: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Clay County, Illinois).

• Age distribution (selected cohorts): Reported on the Census Bureau county profile (QuickFacts), including under-18 and 65+ shares.
• Gender (sex) ratio / male-female distribution: Reported on the Census Bureau county profile (QuickFacts).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

County-level racial and Hispanic/Latino origin measures are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The most accessible consolidated presentation is the county QuickFacts profile: race and ethnicity statistics for Clay County, Illinois (Census Bureau QuickFacts).

Commonly reported categories include:

• White (alone)
• Black or African American (alone)
• American Indian and Alaska Native (alone)
• Asian (alone)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (alone)
• Two or more races
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

Household & Housing Data

Household composition and housing characteristics (including number of households, average household size, owner- vs. renter-occupied housing, and housing unit counts) are published in the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profile products. The consolidated county-level figures are available at: household and housing data for Clay County, Illinois (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).

Local Government Reference

For county administration and local planning resources, visit the Clay County, Illinois official website.

Clay County, Illinois is a largely rural county with low population density, so digital communication (including email) is strongly shaped by last‑mile infrastructure availability and service quality rather than proximity to dense network assets.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are not typically published; email adoption is commonly inferred using proxies such as household broadband subscriptions, computer access, and age structure from the U.S. Census Bureau data portal.

Digital access indicators in Clay County are best summarized through (1) the share of households with a broadband internet subscription and (2) the share with a desktop/laptop or other computer device, as reported in the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). These measures track the practical capacity to create accounts, receive verification messages, and use webmail reliably.

Age distribution is relevant because older age groups generally show lower adoption of online account-based services; Clay County’s age profile from ACS tables provides the main proxy for likely email uptake. Gender distribution is less directly predictive for email adoption and is mainly contextual in ACS county profiles.

Connectivity constraints are documented through statewide and federal broadband mapping programs, including the FCC National Broadband Map, which highlights rural coverage gaps and service variability.

Clay County is located in south-central Illinois, with Louisville as the county seat. The county is predominantly rural, characterized by small towns, agricultural land use, and low population density compared with metropolitan areas of Illinois. These rural conditions generally translate into fewer cell sites per square mile and greater sensitivity of service quality to tower spacing, backhaul availability, and terrain/vegetation. County-level connectivity conditions also vary between incorporated places (e.g., Louisville, Flora at the county edge in neighboring Clay/Wayne area influence) and sparsely populated unincorporated areas.

Data scope and limitations (county-level vs state/national sources)

Publicly available, county-specific statistics for “mobile phone penetration” (such as the share of residents with a mobile subscription) are limited, and many commonly cited measures are published at the state level, by metro area, or at census-tract/block level rather than summarized for each county. Where county-level estimates are not directly published, this overview distinguishes:

• Network availability (where mobile broadband service is reported as available in locations within the county), versus
• Household adoption (whether households actually subscribe to and use mobile and/or fixed internet services).

Primary public sources used for availability/adoption context include the U.S. Census Bureau and the FCC:

• U.S. Census Bureau internet subscription tables and definitions are available via Census.gov data tables and methodology documentation through the American Community Survey (ACS).
• FCC broadband availability and mobile coverage reporting are published via the FCC National Broadband Map, with background on the data program at the FCC Broadband Data Collection.
• Illinois mapping and program context is also maintained by the State of Illinois Connect Illinois program (Illinois broadband office).

County context relevant to mobile connectivity (rural form factor)

Clay County’s rural settlement pattern typically influences mobile connectivity in several ways that are widely observed in rural Midwestern counties:

• Lower site density: fewer towers and fewer small cells, which can reduce signal strength and data throughput in outlying areas.
• Longer distances to fiber/backhaul: limiting capacity upgrades even where coverage exists.
• Indoor coverage challenges: greater reliance on lower-frequency bands for building penetration, with variability by carrier deployment. These are structural factors; county-specific performance (speeds, reliability) requires measurement datasets that are not consistently published as a single county statistic.

Network availability (where service is reported as available)

4G LTE availability

At the county level, 4G LTE service is generally the baseline mobile broadband technology reported across most populated areas in Illinois, including rural counties. The authoritative, location-based way to verify Clay County coverage is the FCC’s map:

• The FCC National Broadband Map allows searching within Clay County and viewing provider-reported mobile broadband availability by technology generation and coverage.

Key limitation: FCC mobile availability is based on provider filings and model-based coverage; it indicates reported availability, not guaranteed in-building performance or consistent speeds.

5G availability

5G availability in rural counties tends to be uneven, concentrated around towns, primary roads, and areas with upgraded backhaul. The FCC map provides the most direct public view at the county geography:

• Use the FCC National Broadband Map to distinguish areas reported as served by 5G versus 4G LTE within Clay County.

Key limitation: Public reporting does not always distinguish clearly between low-band 5G coverage and higher-capacity mid-band/mmWave layers in a way that yields a clean countywide “5G quality” metric. Provider marketing terms also do not equate to uniform user experience.

Mobile internet versus fixed internet availability

In rural counties, mobile broadband can appear widely “available” while fixed broadband coverage (fiber/cable) remains more limited outside towns. Illinois program context and mapping references are available through:

• Connect Illinois (Illinois broadband office)

This distinction matters because many households use mobile data as a primary connection when fixed options are limited, but that is an adoption/behavior question rather than an availability one.

Household adoption and access indicators (what residents actually subscribe to)

Household internet subscription measures (ACS)

The U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS reports whether households have an internet subscription and the type of subscription (including cellular data plan–based categories in ACS tables). These are adoption indicators rather than network availability indicators. County-level estimates for Clay County are typically accessible through:

• Census.gov (search terms commonly used include “Clay County Illinois internet subscription” and ACS “computer and internet use” tables, which list household subscription types).

Important limitation: ACS tables measure household subscription status and device availability through survey responses and margins of error; they do not validate network performance or granular coverage.

Mobile phone penetration (subscriptions per person) vs household access

A true “mobile penetration rate” is often defined as subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and is usually published nationally or by state rather than by county. County-level mobile subscription penetration is not routinely published in a single official table for Clay County. The closest county-level public proxies tend to be:

• ACS household indicators for cellular data plan subscriptions and device availability (adoption), via Census.gov.
• FCC-reported coverage availability (supply), via the FCC National Broadband Map.

Mobile internet usage patterns (how mobile connectivity is commonly used)

County-specific usage pattern surveys (e.g., average mobile data consumption, share using mobile-only service) are generally not published as official Clay County statistics. Publicly supported usage pattern interpretation in rural counties relies on adoption indicators:

• Cellular-data-plan-only households (ACS) can indicate reliance on mobile broadband as the primary household internet connection.
• Smartphone presence (often bundled in broader device questions) can correlate with mobile internet use, but the ACS is stronger on subscription type than on specific handset class.

Where ACS shows higher shares of cellular-only subscriptions, that typically indicates mobile networks are being used as a primary connection for at least some households, but the ACS does not specify 4G vs 5G usage at the household level.

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

What can be measured publicly

Public, county-level measurement of “smartphone vs feature phone” is limited. The ACS provides household-level indicators for device ownership (desktop/laptop/tablet) and internet subscriptions, but does not consistently provide a clean county-level split of smartphone versus non-smartphone mobile handsets in the same way private survey firms do.

What is generally measurable for Clay County through ACS tables on Census.gov:

• Presence of computing devices in the household (desktop/laptop/tablet)
• Presence/type of internet subscription, including cellular data plan categories

What cannot be stated definitively at county level from standard public tables

• A precise countywide share of smartphone users versus feature phone users is not typically available from standard, official county tables.
• A ranked list of “most common phone models” or operating systems is not available from official county datasets.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Clay County

Rurality and population density

Lower density affects:

• Deployment economics (fewer customers per tower)
• Coverage gaps away from towns and highways
• Greater variability in in-building and edge-of-cell performance These factors relate to availability and quality rather than proving adoption.

Income, age, and household composition (adoption-side correlates)

ACS profiles often show that rural counties can have:

• Higher shares of older residents compared with state urban centers
• Income distributions that influence subscription choices (mobile-only vs fixed + mobile) Definitive Clay County values should be taken directly from county-specific ACS tables on Census.gov, due to margins of error and year-to-year change.

Geography and land cover

Clay County’s agricultural land cover and dispersed housing pattern can contribute to:

• Indoor coverage variability in farmhouses and outbuildings farther from towers
• Road-corridor concentration of stronger service where carriers prioritize continuous coverage These are structural considerations; they do not replace measurement from FCC coverage data (availability) or ACS subscription data (adoption).

Clear distinction: availability vs adoption (summary)

• Network availability in Clay County is best verified using the location-based FCC National Broadband Map, which shows reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage by provider within the county.
• Household adoption and access (internet subscription types, including cellular data plans) are best measured using county-level ACS tables via Census.gov.
• Smartphone-versus-feature-phone prevalence is not consistently published as an official county statistic; available public indicators focus more on subscription type and general device categories than handset class.

For local orientation and county references, Clay County’s government information is available via the Clay County, Illinois official website (administrative context rather than coverage/adoption metrics).

Clay County is a rural county in south‑central Illinois, with Louisville as the county seat and a settlement pattern characterized by small towns and unincorporated areas. The county’s economy and daily life are shaped by agriculture, local services, and commuting ties to nearby regional centers, which typically correspond with heavier reliance on mobile connectivity and community-oriented Facebook use versus dense multi-platform ecosystems seen in large metros.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

• County-specific social media penetration rates are not published in major public datasets (most authoritative sources report at national or state level rather than by county). For context-setting benchmarks:
  • United States (overall): roughly 7 in 10 U.S. adults use at least one social media site (Pew Research Center). See Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
  • Internet access is a key limiter for local participation in rural counties. Federal datasets track broadband availability/adoption (a strong predictor of social media use) at finer geographies; see FCC National Broadband Map for coverage context.
• Practical interpretation for Clay County: adult social media use is expected to track the rural-U.S. pattern: high overall usage among connected adults, with participation moderated by broadband and smartphone-only access.

Age group trends

Nationally reported age patterns are the most reliable proxy for local age-group differences:

• Highest use: adults 18–29 and 30–49 tend to report the highest “any social media” usage (Pew).
• Platform age skew (U.S. adults):
  • Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok: more concentrated among younger adults.
  • Facebook: broadest reach across age groups and remains prominent among 30–64, with meaningful usage among 65+ relative to other platforms. Source: Pew platform-by-age detail.

Gender breakdown

National survey findings (Pew) show gender differences by platform more than by “any social media”:

• Women are more likely than men to use Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
• Men tend to be more likely than women to use Reddit and some other forum-oriented platforms. Source: Pew Research Center social media demographics.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where available)

County-level platform shares are not consistently published; the most defensible percentages come from U.S. adult survey benchmarks:

• Facebook: ~68% of U.S. adults report using Facebook.
• YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults report using YouTube.
• Instagram: ~47% of U.S. adults report using Instagram.
• Pinterest: ~35% of U.S. adults report using Pinterest.
• TikTok: ~33% of U.S. adults report using TikTok.
• LinkedIn: ~30% of U.S. adults report using LinkedIn.
• X (formerly Twitter): ~22% of U.S. adults report using X.
• Snapchat: ~27% of U.S. adults report using Snapchat.
  Source: Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.

Clay County–typical platform mix (rural Midwest pattern):

• Facebook generally functions as the primary “local information layer” (community groups, events, schools, churches, classifieds).
• YouTube is widely used across ages for entertainment and how-to content, especially in areas where streaming substitutes for other media.
• Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat usage concentrates among younger cohorts; LinkedIn tends to be smaller in rural counties due to occupational mix and fewer corporate/professional hubs.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community utility over broadcasting: rural-county usage often emphasizes groups, local pages, and sharing practical updates (weather, road conditions, school activities, community events), aligning with Facebook’s feature set.
• Mobile-first engagement: rural users more frequently rely on smartphones as the primary access device, which correlates with short-form video consumption (TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts) and quick interactions (comments/shares). National mobile and platform usage context is summarized in Pew’s fact sheet: Pew social media overview.
• Video as a cross-platform driver: YouTube’s broad reach and TikTok’s growth reflect an overall shift toward video-led discovery, with Facebook and Instagram increasingly competing via Reels.
• Time-of-day patterns (typical for local pages/groups): engagement often peaks in early morning, lunch hours, and evening, reflecting commuting and workday breaks; locally relevant posts (lost/found, alerts, school sports, community fundraisers) tend to outperform general-interest content in interactions per follower.

Note on data availability: The most reliable, citable statistics for penetration, demographics, and platform percentages are generally national (Pew Research Center). County-specific social media usage estimates are rarely published with methodological transparency, so Clay County figures are presented using authoritative national benchmarks plus rural-county behavioral patterns driven by connectivity and community information needs.

Clay County family-related public records primarily include vital records (birth and death certificates) and court records that document family relationships (marriage dissolutions, guardianships, and some adoptions). In Illinois, births and deaths are registered through local health authorities and the state system; Clay County copies are commonly handled through the county public health office, while statewide certified copies are also issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Clay County maintains public access systems for court-related “associate” and case information through the Circuit Clerk. The Clay County, Illinois official website provides department contacts and access directions. Court filings and indexes are generally accessed through the Clay County Circuit Clerk (in-person records and locally available searches), and property/estate-related family documents may also appear through the Clay County Clerk (marriage licenses and related records).

Access is typically available in person at the relevant office during business hours; online availability varies by record type and system and is more common for docket/case lookups than for certified vital records.

Privacy restrictions apply: birth records are generally restricted for a statutory period; adoption records are typically sealed; some court documents may be confidential by law or court order, with redaction requirements for sensitive identifiers.

Types of records available

• Marriage license and marriage certificate (return): Clay County issues marriage licenses and files the completed license return after the ceremony. The filed return functions as the county’s record that the marriage occurred.
• Divorce records (dissolution of marriage): Divorce case files are maintained as court records and typically include the final judgment/decree and related pleadings and orders.
• Annulment records (declaration of invalidity of marriage): Annulments are handled through the circuit court as civil family cases; records are maintained in the court case file and may include a judgment declaring the marriage invalid.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records

  • Filed/maintained by: Clay County Clerk (county-level vital record for marriages).
  • Access: Requests are typically handled by the County Clerk’s office in person, by mail, or through county procedures for certified copies and verifications. Some marriage indexes may be available through county resources or third-party genealogy databases, while certified copies are issued by the County Clerk.

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Filed/maintained by: Clay County Circuit Clerk (court record for the Fourth Judicial Circuit as it pertains to Clay County filings).
  • Access: Case records are accessed through the Circuit Clerk’s office. Index information and register-of-actions summaries may be available through court/county record search systems where provided. Certified copies of judgments/orders are issued by the Circuit Clerk, subject to applicable restrictions and sealing.

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / certificate (return)

  • Full names of both parties (including maiden name where applicable)
  • Date and place of marriage (or intended place on the application; the return reflects the ceremony date/place)
  • Date of license issuance and license number
  • Officiant name and credentials, and officiant’s certification on the return
  • Witness information may appear depending on the form used
  • Basic identifying information from the application may be included in the record held by the clerk (commonly age/date of birth, residence, and parents’ names), with the exact data elements depending on the version of the state/county form and time period

• Divorce decree/judgment (dissolution of marriage)

  • Case caption and docket/case number; court and filing county
  • Names of the parties and date the judgment was entered
  • Findings and orders dissolving the marriage
  • Terms addressing parental responsibilities (allocation), parenting time, child support, maintenance, and property/debt division where applicable
  • Name of the judge and court certification on certified copies

• Annulment judgment (declaration of invalidity of marriage)

  • Case caption and docket/case number; court and filing county
  • Names of the parties and date the judgment was entered
  • Legal findings establishing invalidity and orders addressing related issues (property, support, parentage/children) where applicable
  • Judge’s signature and certification on certified copies

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records: Marriage records are generally treated as public records at the county level, but access to certain identifying information contained on the application (beyond what appears on the certificate/return) can be limited by state law and record-retention practices. The County Clerk controls certified copy issuance and may require proper identification and fees for certified copies.
• Divorce and annulment court files: Court case records are generally public unless sealed or impounded by court order. Illinois court rules and statutes restrict public access to specific categories of information, commonly including:
  • Confidential personal identifiers (such as Social Security numbers and certain financial account information)
  • Records involving minors or sensitive family matters to the extent protected by law or sealed by the court
  • Domestic violence-related protections in certain circumstances (e.g., protected addresses or confidential filings)
• Certified copies vs. plain copies: Certified copies of marriage returns and court judgments are issued by the record custodian (County Clerk for marriages; Circuit Clerk for court judgments). Availability can be limited for sealed cases or for documents containing protected information, which may be redacted in public versions.

Clay County is a rural county in south‑central Illinois anchored by the City of Flora (the county seat) and smaller communities such as Louisville, Clay City, Xenia, and Sailor Springs. The county has an older age profile than the Illinois average and relatively low population density, with daily life oriented around small‑town services, agriculture, light manufacturing, and regional commuting to nearby employment centers. (Population levels and detailed demographics are most consistently reported through the U.S. Census Bureau and the American Community Survey.)

Education Indicators

Public school districts and schools

Clay County’s public K‑12 education is primarily served by multiple local districts centered on Flora and Louisville (school counts and names are maintained by Illinois State Board of Education). A countywide, authoritative directory of public schools is available via the Illinois State Board of Education’s District/School Search tool: Illinois School Report Card (district and school search).
Note: A complete “number of public schools and all school names” list varies by year due to consolidations and program sites; the ISBE directory is the most current source for official counts and names.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Reported at the district level in the Illinois School Report Card; ratios vary across districts and grade bands (elementary vs. secondary). The most recent district profiles are accessible through the ISBE report card search above.
• High school graduation rates: Also reported through ISBE for each high school district/school (4‑year cohort rate). Clay County high school graduation is typically reported by the relevant high school(s) serving Flora/Louisville areas; the ISBE report card provides the current official rate and multi‑year trend.

Adult educational attainment

Countywide adult attainment (25+) is most consistently measured by the American Community Survey. Clay County generally shows:

• High school diploma or higher: a solid majority of adults
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: below the Illinois statewide share (typical of rural southern Illinois counties)

The most recent county profile tables are available through the U.S. Census Bureau: U.S. Census Bureau data (Clay County, IL profiles).
Proxy note: When a single-year county estimate is suppressed or has high margins of error, 5‑year ACS estimates are the standard proxy for stable county measures.

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, Advanced Placement)

Program availability is school‑specific and is best verified through district/course catalogs and ISBE program reporting. In rural Illinois counties, “notable programs” commonly include:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways (ag mechanics, health occupations, welding/industrial technology, business, family and consumer sciences), often supported by regional partnerships
• Dual credit / early college arrangements with nearby community colleges (common statewide)
• Advanced Placement (AP) or honors offerings where enrollment supports staffing
  The most consistent public reference point for program indicators (CTE participation, advanced coursework indicators) remains the district/school entries in the Illinois School Report Card.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Illinois public schools are subject to statewide requirements that typically include:

• Emergency operations planning and required drills (fire, tornado, lockdown) under state school safety statutes and administrative rules
• Student support services such as school counselors and social work/psychological services, reported as staffing categories in district summaries and, in many cases, reflected in the ISBE report card staffing and student support sections

County‑specific details (e.g., presence of school resource officers, vestibule entry systems, threat assessment teams, counseling caseloads) are generally documented in district board policies and annual school safety plans; these are not reliably aggregated into a single county dataset.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent available)

The official local unemployment measure is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The most current annual and monthly rates are available through:

• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)
• Illinois Department of Employment Security labor market information
  Data note: County unemployment rates can differ meaningfully month to month; annual averages are typically used for “most recent year” comparisons.

Major industries and employment sectors

Clay County’s employment base reflects a rural county structure, with major sectors typically including:

• Health care and social assistance (clinics, nursing/long‑term care, countywide services)
• Manufacturing (small to mid‑sized plants; specific subsectors vary)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local commerce in Flora and smaller towns)
• Educational services and public administration (school districts, county/municipal operations)
• Agriculture and related services (farm operations and support activities)

County sector composition and employment counts are commonly summarized in ACS industry tables via data.census.gov.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational distribution in Clay County is generally weighted toward:

• Office/administrative support and sales (local government, retail, healthcare administration)
• Production, transportation, and material moving (manufacturing and logistics-related roles)
• Healthcare support and practitioner roles (reflecting the regional importance of healthcare)
• Construction and maintenance (housing stock maintenance and local building trades)
  The ACS provides county‑level occupation group shares through data.census.gov.
  Proxy note: Detailed occupation estimates can have large margins of error in smaller counties; broad occupation groups are the most reliable county‑level metric.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Typical pattern: A significant share of residents commute to jobs outside the county, reflecting limited local job density and the proximity of nearby counties’ employment centers.
• Mean travel time to work: Best measured through the ACS “Travel time to work” table (mean minutes) on data.census.gov. Rural southern Illinois counties commonly show mean commute times in the low‑to‑mid 20‑minute range, but the county’s current mean should be taken directly from the latest ACS estimate.

Local employment vs. out‑of‑county work

Clay County typically functions as both a local‑services employment area (education, healthcare, retail, county government) and a residential base for some out‑commuters. The ACS “Place of work” and commuting flow indicators provide the best proxy for:

• Workers living in Clay County but working outside the county
• Workers both living and working within the county
  These indicators are accessible via data.census.gov (commuting/place-of-work tables).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

Clay County’s housing tenure is characteristically owner‑occupied, consistent with rural Illinois:

• Homeownership: typically a clear majority of occupied units
• Renter share: smaller than urban Illinois averages
  The most recent official tenure percentages are reported in ACS housing tables on data.census.gov.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value: Clay County’s median owner‑occupied home value is generally well below the Illinois median, reflecting lower land costs and older housing stock. The most recent median value is available in ACS “Value” tables via data.census.gov.
• Trend: Recent years across downstate Illinois have shown modest appreciation compared with metropolitan areas; county‑specific direction and magnitude should be taken from the ACS time series and/or local assessor sales ratio reporting.
  Proxy note: Where transaction volume is low, medians can move due to mix of sales; multi‑year ACS estimates are more stable.

Typical rent prices

Median gross rent (including utilities where reported) is available from the ACS and is generally lower than Illinois statewide median rent. The current county median rent is reported in ACS “Gross rent” tables on data.census.gov.

Housing types

Clay County’s stock is dominated by:

• Single‑family detached homes in Flora and smaller towns
• Manufactured homes/mobile homes in some unincorporated or semi‑rural areas
• Low‑rise apartments and duplexes concentrated in Flora and near local amenities
• Rural lots/farmsteads outside municipal boundaries
  The ACS provides housing structure type shares (1‑unit detached, 2–4 units, 5+ units, mobile homes) via data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (schools and amenities)

Settlement patterns generally place the highest concentration of services (schools, parks, medical offices, grocery and retail) within or near Flora, with smaller nodes in other incorporated communities. Rural residences typically have longer drives to schools and daily services but larger lots and lower density. Specific “proximity to schools” is not consistently summarized in a single county dataset; it is typically inferred from municipal boundaries and school attendance areas published by districts.

Property tax overview (rate and typical cost)

Illinois relies heavily on property taxes, and effective tax rates vary by township, school district, and overlapping taxing districts. Clay County homeowners typically face:

• An effective property tax burden that is often high relative to home values (common in Illinois), with school district levies as a major component
  Authoritative, parcel‑level and aggregate summaries are maintained by county and state sources:
• Illinois Department of Revenue property tax information (statewide context and publications)
• Clay County assessment and billing details are typically provided through the county assessor/treasurer offices (for “typical homeowner cost,” the most accurate measure is annual tax bill amounts by township and school district).
  Proxy note: A single countywide “average rate” can be misleading because rates vary substantially by taxing district; effective rates are best interpreted at the parcel or township/school-district level.

Source alignment note: For Clay County, IL, the most reliable “most recent” metrics come from the Illinois School Report Card (K‑12), BLS/IDES (unemployment), and the American Community Survey via the U.S. Census Bureau (education attainment, industry/occupation, commuting, and housing medians). Where a requested item is not published as a county‑level single figure (e.g., consolidated school safety features or a single countywide property tax rate), the summary above uses the standard official proxy sources and notes limitations.