Clay County | |
|---|---|
 Clay County Courthouse | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto: In God We Trust | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Florida | |
 Florida's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 29°59′N 81°52′W / 29.98°N 81.86°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Florida |
| Founded | December 31, 1858 |
| Named for | Henry Clay |
| Seat | Green Cove Springs |
| Largest city | Lakeside |
| Area | |
| • Total | 644 sq mi (1,667 km2) |
| • Land | 604 sq mi (1,566 km2) |
| • Water | 39 sq mi (101 km2) 6.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 218,245 |
| • Estimate (2023) | 232,439  |
| • Density | 380/sq mi (148/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 32003, 32043, 32065, 32068, 32073, 32079, 32091, 32234, 32656, 32666 |
| Area code | 352, 904, 324 |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | www |
Clay County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida along the west bank of the St. Johns River. As of 2020, the population was 218,245 and in 2023, that number increased to 232,439, making it the third largest county in the Jacksonville metropolitan area.[2] While most of the county is unincorporated, there are 4 municipalities with Green Cove Springs being the county seat and the unincorporated Lakeside CDP being the largest place.[3] It is named in honor of Henry Clay, a famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate from Kentucky, and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.[4][5]
Since 1990, Clay County has transformed into a largely suburban county with the third highest household median income in Florida behind neighboring St. Johns County and Santa Rosa County.[6] This transformation has come as workers from Jacksonville, and to a smaller extent other nearby cities such as St. Augustine and Gainesville, have moved into newly built residential subdivisions. Over half of workers living in Clay County work in another county, which is the highest rate of any county in Florida. As such, the county has the third highest average commute time in the state at almost 33 minutes.[6] With the population expected to surpass 300,000 residents by 2040, projects such as the First Coast Expressway are being constructed to alleviate chronic congestion on major roadways in the county such as Blanding Blvd and U.S. 17.[7]
Clay County is known for its rich military history with major current and former installations such as Branan Air Field, Naval Air Station Green Cove Springs, and Camp Blanding all being located in the county. The county also attracts many tourists due to its abundance of natural water features. Many notable lakes such as Kingsley Lake, Lake Asbury, Doctors Lake, Lake Geneva, and Lake Brooklyn are all located in the county. Black Creek begins at the St. Johns River just north of Green Cove Springs and runs through the central portion of the county.
- ^ https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_12.txt [bare URL]
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2022". Census.gov. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
- ^ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 30.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 83.
- ^ a b "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "First Coast Expressway Built to Handle Growth in Clay County, Fla. : CEG". www.constructionequipmentguide.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.