Clay County, Alabama

Clay County
Clay County Courthouse in Ashland
Clay County Courthouse in Ashland
Map of Alabama highlighting Clay County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°16′20″N 85°51′40″W / 33.2722°N 85.8611°W / 33.2722; -85.8611
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 7, 1866
Named forHenry Clay
SeatAshland
Largest cityLineville
Area
 • Total606 sq mi (1,570 km2)
 • Land604 sq mi (1,560 km2)
 • Water2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total14,236
 • Estimate 
(2023)
14,111 Decrease
 • Density23/sq mi (9.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitealabamaclaycounty.com
  • County Number 17 on Alabama Licence Plates

Clay County is a county in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the population was 14,236.[1] Its county seat is Ashland.[2] Its name is in honor of Henry Clay, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century. It was the last dry county in Alabama with no wet cities within its boundaries, until a vote on March 1, 2016, approved the sale of alcohol in Lineville and Ashland.[3]

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Alabama's last dry county legalizes alcohol sales". USA Today. Retrieved March 3, 2016.