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Clayton County, IA: population growth, jobs and income

Clayton County lost 138 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.8%).

Clayton County had an estimated 16,845 residents in 2025, down 1.1% (182 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Iowa as a whole (+1.5%), and the 54th fastest growth of 99 counties in Iowa.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Clayton County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Clayton County, ranked against Iowa and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$790/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes14.6%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months522025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 99 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 4,999 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −9.3% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.3% in 2025, 0.6 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 55 new homes in 2025, or 3.3 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $67,242 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +19.1% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,211th.

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Clayton County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202516,845−138
202416,983−25
202317,008−41
202217,049−7
202117,056+29
202017,027–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Clayton County

Clayton County lost 182 people since 2020; the biggest drag was natural change (−160).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−43−160
International migrationfrom and to other countries+3+46
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−99−59
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1−9
Total change−138−182

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn IowaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth54th of 992,211th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents75th of 992,641st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth84th of 992,776th of 3,092
Median household income71st of 991,391st of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate93rd of 991,897th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents23rd of 991,032nd of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Clayton County, IA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Clayton County's population change (−1.1%) was ahead of 2 of its 8 neighbouring counties, behind 5 and level with Crawford County, WI.

5 of its 8 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Clayton County's $67,242 (2020–24).

Clayton County, IA and its 8 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Clayton County, IA This county16,845−1.1%−5.93.3$67,242
Delaware County, IA17,674+1.2%4.91.9$74,989
Allamakee County, IA14,238+1.2%0.66.9$70,694
Fayette County, IA19,047−2.1%−1.61.6$60,165
Crawford County, WI15,910−1.1%4.13.1$64,094
Grant County, WI52,446+0.9%−1.52.3$66,858
Dubuque County, IA99,381+0.1%1.83.4$77,630
Buchanan County, IA20,883+1.3%5.63.0$78,236
Winneshiek County, IA19,733−1.6%1.81.8$79,066

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 99 Iowa counties · Every state

Questions

Is Clayton County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.1% between 2020 and 2025, about 182 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Iowa as a whole changed +1.5% over the same years. That ranks 54th of 99 counties in Iowa for population growth.

How many people moved to Clayton County?

On net, none in 2025: about 99 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Clayton County?

It averaged 4.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Clayton County?

About 16,845 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Clayton County?

Private employers there had 4,999 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −9.3% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Iowa

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Iowa county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

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Clayton County data alerts

Email me when Clayton County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Clayton County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.