Clay County is a county in Florida, United States, on the west bank of the St. Johns River within the Jacksonville metropolitan area. It had a population of 218,245 at the 2020 census and covers 605 square miles (1,566 km2) centred near 29°59′N 81°52′W.
Green Cove Springs is the county seat; its postal code is 32043. The county contains two cities, two towns, six census-designated places and a large number of unincorporated communities. Clay County observes Eastern time and carries FIPS code 12019.
Towns & Villages in Clay County
Clay County’s incorporated municipalities are outnumbered by its unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs). The table below lists every named place carried in county records, including small mobile-home communities along US 17 and SR 21 that have no separate government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Cove Springs | City · seat | 9,036 | 32043 |
| Orange Park | Town | 9,081 | 32003 / 32073 |
| Keystone Heights | City | 1,395 | 32656 |
| Penney Farms | Town | 733 | 32079 |
| Fleming Island | CDP | — | 32003 |
| Middleburg | CDP | — | 32068 |
| Oakleaf Plantation | CDP | — | 32065 |
| Asbury Lake | CDP | — | 32043 |
| Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace | CDP | — | 32073 |
| Lakeside | CDP | — | 32073 |
| Belmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brewers Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Camp Echockotee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Doctors Inlet | Unincorp. | — | 32073 |
| Fellowship Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hibernia | Unincorp. | — | 32003 |
| Highland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holly Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hugh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Idlewild Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jim Rod MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Johns MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingsley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingsley Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingsley Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Geneva | Unincorp. | — | 32656 |
| Lake Geneva MH Park | Unincorp. | — | 32656 |
| Laurel Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leno | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Loch Lommond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Magnolia Springs | Unincorp. | — | 32068 |
| Neilhurst | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park of the Palms | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pass Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Peoria Siding | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rattlesnake Bend | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rideout | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ridgewood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rio Vista Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Russell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Townsend MH Court | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walkill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Tocoi | Unincorp. | — | — |
Oakleaf Plantation and Fleming Island are both planned communities built up since the 1990s and are now among the county’s most populous places despite never incorporating. Bellair and Meadowbrook Terrace, two older separately platted subdivisions west of Orange Park, merged for census purposes into the single Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace CDP; they are listed here as one place rather than duplicated.
ZIP Codes
- 32043 — Green Cove Springs (also serves Asbury Lake)
- 32003 — Orange Park / Fleming Island (also serves Hibernia)
- 32073 — Orange Park (also serves Bellair-Meadowbrook Terrace, Lakeside, Doctors Inlet)
- 32065 — Middleburg (Oakleaf Plantation side)
- 32068 — Middleburg (also serves Magnolia Springs)
- 32656 — Keystone Heights (also serves Lake Geneva)
- 32079 — Penney Farms
Smaller mobile-home communities and rural crossroads generally share the ZIP code of the nearest post office town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Clay County sits between the St. Johns River on its east and the Black Creek watershed draining much of its interior, with sandy uplands giving way to pine flatwoods and lakes toward Keystone Heights in the southwest. The Camp Blanding military reservation occupies a large tract along the Bradford County line. The county borders Duval County to the north, St. Johns County to the east, Putnam County to the south, Bradford County to the west and Baker County to the northwest, with Duval County also linked here as the Jacksonville anchor to the north.
Demographics
Clay County’s population was 218,245 at the 2020 census, giving a density of roughly 361 people per square mile. Fleming Island and Middleburg, both unincorporated CDPs, are the county’s most populous communities, each larger than any of its incorporated cities or towns. Wikipedia’s 2021 American Community Survey estimate put county median household income near $76,679, above the Florida median of $73,311.
Economy & Local Life
Much of Clay County functions as a residential suburb of Jacksonville, with retail and services concentrated along US 17 in Orange Park and around Oakleaf Plantation. Camp Blanding remains an active Florida Army National Guard training center and a significant local employer. Orange Park Medical Center anchors healthcare in the county’s northern half, and Green Cove Springs’ historic downtown and public boat ramp on the St. Johns River draw local recreation traffic.
History
Clay County was created on December 31, 1858, from part of Duval County and named for Henry Clay, the 19th-century American statesman and three-time presidential candidate from Kentucky. Green Cove Springs, built around a large freshwater spring, drew tourists and health-seekers in the late 1800s before the county’s growth shifted north toward Jacksonville in the 20th century. Camp Blanding opened in 1939 and trained more than 90,000 troops during World War II; it continues to operate as a National Guard installation today.
Getting There
US 17 runs north-south through the county’s populated eastern half, US 301 crosses its western, more rural side, and the First Coast Expressway (SR 23) provides a newer bypass route linking Green Cove Springs toward St. Johns County.
- Jacksonville — 20 miles north
- St. Augustine — 35 miles east
- Gainesville — 50 miles southwest
- Palatka — 20 miles south
Jacksonville International Airport is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clay County, Florida?
It is in northeastern Florida, on the west side of the St. Johns River within the Jacksonville metropolitan area.
What is the population of Clay County?
218,245 at the 2020 census.
How big is Clay County?
605 square miles (1,566 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Clay County?
Green Cove Springs is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Clay County?
Two cities (Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights), two towns (Orange Park, Penney Farms), six census-designated places and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Clay County?
Main ZIP codes include 32043 (Green Cove Springs), 32003 and 32073 (Orange Park/Fleming Island), 32065 and 32068 (Middleburg/Oakleaf Plantation), 32656 (Keystone Heights) and 32079 (Penney Farms).
What is Camp Blanding?
A Florida Army National Guard training installation on the county’s western edge that trained over 90,000 troops during World War II and remains active today.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Florida.