Clay County | |
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West Point City Hall at West Point Central City Historic District. | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi | |
![]() Mississippi's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 33°39′N 88°46′W / 33.65°N 88.77°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1871 |
Named for | Henry Clay |
Seat | West Point |
Largest city | West Point |
Area | |
• Total | 416 sq mi (1,080 km2) |
• Land | 410 sq mi (1,100 km2) |
• Water | 5.9 sq mi (15 km2) 1.4% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 18,636 |
• Density | 45/sq mi (17/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 1st |
Website | www |
Clay County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,636.[1] Its county seat is West Point.[2] Its name is in honor of American statesman Henry Clay,[3] member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. J. Wesley Caradine, an African American, was the first state representative for Clay County after it was established in 1871.[4]
The federal government formerly designated Clay County as the West Point Micropolitan Statistical Area, but the county lost that status in 2013.[5] It is part of the Golden Triangle region of the state.[6]