The Town FilesClay City, Kentucky
City in Powell County · population 1,193 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $63,500
- Household income
- $23,816
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 42.8
Clay City is a city of 1,193 people in Powell County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $63,500, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 76% of Kentucky towns, easier by car than 70% of Kentucky towns.
How Clay City ranks
Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clay City is worth $63,500, below the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $23,816, which is more affordable than 68% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $666 a month. 41.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clay City | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $63,500 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $666 | $837 |
| Median household income | $23,816 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 41.3% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clay City
| People | Clay City | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.3% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.0% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 39.5% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 70.0% | 88.6% |
Weather in Clay City
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 23.4°F. About 53.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.2 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clay City since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 1, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 2, 2012.
Severe weather in Powell County since 1996
Powell County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 23, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4875: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4864: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4860: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Powell County
Powell County had 3,017 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,158 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Clay City itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Clay City
1 public school with 452 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay City Elementary School | PK-5 | 452 | 15.1 |
Towns near Clay City
- Stanton, KY4.1 mi · 3,251 people · home $123,000
- Jeffersonville, KY8.6 mi · 1,708 people · home $140,900
- Camargo, KY9.9 mi · 1,020 people · home $151,400
- Irvine, KY11.5 mi · 2,360 people · home $139,200
- Ravenna, KY12.1 mi · 568 people · home $94,700
- Mount Sterling, KY14.2 mi · 7,558 people · home $187,600
- Winchester, KY17.3 mi · 19,134 people · home $188,300
- Frenchburg, KY17.9 mi · 601 people · home $131,400
Clay City questions
Is Clay City, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clay City scores better for retirees than 58% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 32%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Clay City?
The median owner-occupied home in Clay City is valued at $63,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $23,816, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $666 a month.
What is the weather like in Clay City?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 23.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.2 inches of precipitation a year and 6.2 inches of snow.
Does Clay City get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clay City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 3, 1974. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)