Geography of Clay County
Clay County sits at roughly 33.79° N and 98.21° W in the North Texas region of Texas, spanning 1,098 square miles of terrain that includes the landscape characteristic of the area — from open ranchland and farmland to small-town main streets. The county's centroid is near Henrietta, and the county shares boundaries with 4 neighboring counties.
Population & demographics
With approximately 10,764 residents across 1,098 square miles, Clay County has a population density of about 9.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: Henrietta
Henrietta serves as the seat of government for Clay County. The county courthouse, commissioners court, district clerk, and primary public records are located here. As with all 254 Texas counties, the county seat is the anchor of civic life and the principal address for elections, permits, and court filings.
History & name origin
Clay County was established in 1857 and was named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator from Kentucky and ninth secretary of state of the United States (1825–1829). It was carved from territory previously part of Cooke County.
Clay County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Clay County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Every answer is generated from the official U.S. Census data backing this site.
Where is Clay County, Texas located?+
Clay County is located in the North Texas region of Texas at approximately 33.785° N, 98.209° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48077. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Clay County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Clay County in square miles?+
Clay County covers approximately 1,098 square miles of land in the North Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 50th out of 254 Texas counties. The full bounding box of the county is rendered to scale on the interactive map and matches the U.S. Census TIGER 2023 polygon.
What is the population of Clay County, Texas?+
Clay County has a population of approximately 10,764 residents. With 1,098 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 9.8 people per square mile, which is sparsely populated for a Texas county. That makes Clay County the 161st most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Clay County?+
Henrietta is the county seat of Clay County, Texas, which was organized in 1857 and named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator from Kentucky and ninth secretary of state of the United States (1825–1829). Clay County was originally carved out of Cooke County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Clay County are located in Henrietta.
Which Texas counties border Clay County?+
Clay County shares borders with Jack, Montague, Archer, and Wichita counties. These 4 neighboring counties are highlighted on the schematic boundary map and linked at the bottom of this page so you can quickly compare population, area, and county seats across the North Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Clay County?+
A free, print-ready PDF map of Clay County is available from the "Download PDF" button at the top of this page. The printable layout uses authentic U.S. Census TIGER boundary geometry for Clay County, includes a Texas locator inset, and is sized for standard 8.5" × 11" Letter paper. For interactive use, the live Leaflet map on this page supports OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, Esri topographic, and Carto light basemaps with zoom, scale bar, and fullscreen.
What is the FIPS code for Clay County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Clay County is 48077, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 077. This is the same FIPS code used by the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line files, the American Community Survey, and most federal datasets that key on county.