Clay County, Indiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2000, the population was 26,556. The county seat is Brazil6. Clay County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 933 km² (360 mi²). 926 km² (358 mi²) of it is land and 7 km² (3 mi²) of it (0.77%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Parke County (north)
- Putnam County (northeast)
- Owen County (southeast)
- Greene County (south)
- Sullivan County (southwest)
- Vigo County (west)
[edit] History
Clay County was formed in 1825. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, a famous antebellum American statesman.
The town of Bowling Green was the original county seat, with the first courthouse constucted in 1828. By the 1860s, with the construction of the National Road (the old Cumberland Road and presently US 40) and various railroads, the city of Brazil became a far more important and prosperous town. Efforts to relocate the county seat to Brazil began in 1871, and after much debate, the relocation was granted in 1876. The old court house in Bowling Green burned (by arson, according to county folklore) and a new one erected in Brazil. The fifth county courthouse was completed in 1914 and serves the resdents of Clay County to this day.
[edit] Demographics
| Clay County Population by year | |
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2000 26,556 | |
As of the census² of 2000, there were 26,556 people, 10,216 households, and 7,437 families residing in the county. The population density was 29/km² (74/mi²). There were 11,097 housing units at an average density of 12/km² (31/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.38% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. 0.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 10,216 households out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 23.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,865, and the median income for a family was $41,863. Males had a median income of $31,611 versus $21,593 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,364. About 6.40% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] References
- Forstall, Richard L. (editor) (1996). Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 : from the twenty-one decennial censuses. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0934213488.
