Clay County is a county in Indiana, United States, straddling the old National Road corridor midway between Terre Haute and Indianapolis. It had a population of 26,466 at the 2020 census and covers 360.32 square miles (933.2 km2) centred near 39°24′N 87°07′W.
Brazil is the county seat, and its postal code is 47834. The county has one city, six incorporated towns, and dozens of unincorporated communities spread across eleven civil townships. Clay County observes Eastern Time.
Towns & Villages in Clay County
Clay County has one city — Brazil, the seat — and six incorporated towns: Carbon, Center Point, Clay City, Harmony, Knightsville, and Staunton. The remainder of the list below is unincorporated hamlets and crossroads communities, several named for the coal camps that once dotted the county. “Unincorp.” places have no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | City · seat | — | 47834 |
| Carbon | Town | — | 47837 |
| Center Point | Town | — | 47840 |
| Clay City | Town | — | 47841 |
| Harmony | Town | — | 47853 |
| Knightsville | Town | — | 47857 |
| Staunton | Town | — | 47881 |
| Bowling Green | Unincorp. | — | 47833 |
| Coalmont | Unincorp. | — | 47845 |
| Cory | Unincorp. | — | 47846 |
| Art | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ashboro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Asherville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barrick Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bee Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Billtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Billville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bogle Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brunswick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buchanan Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Calcutta | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cardonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cherryvale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cloverland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cottage Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Donaldsonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eel River | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoffman Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoosierville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Howesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lap Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mechanicsburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middlebury | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Brunswick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Perth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Poland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pontiac | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prairie City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Purdy Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roadman Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saline City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shady Lane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Six Points | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stearleyville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Twin Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wickville | Unincorp. | — | — |
Most of the crossroads names above — the “corners” like Barrick Corner, Bogle Corner, Buchanan Corner, Lap Corner, and Roadman Corner — are historic farm-crossroads communities rather than mapped population centres; they persist mainly as road names and rural neighbourhood identities today.
ZIP Codes
- 47834 — Brazil
- 47841 — Clay City
- 47840 — Center Point
- 47846 — Cory
- 47837 — Carbon
- 47833 — Bowling Green
- 47857 — Knightsville
- 47881 — Staunton
- 47853 — Harmony
- 47845 — Coalmont
The county’s smaller unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and use the ZIP code of the nearest listed town, most commonly Brazil’s 47834.
Geography
Clay County sits on gently rolling terrain shaped by both natural drainage and more than a century of underground and strip coal mining, which left reclaimed pits and ridges across the northern and central townships. Of the county’s 360.32 square miles, 357.54 square miles are land and 2.78 square miles are water. The Eel River crosses the southwestern part of the county, and Birch Creek and several smaller tributaries drain toward the Wabash and White river systems.
Clay County borders six other Indiana counties. Parke County lies to the north, Putnam County to the northeast, Owen County to the southeast, Greene County to the south, Sullivan County to the southwest, and Vigo County to the west.
Demographics
Clay County recorded 26,466 residents at the 2020 census, a density of roughly 74 people per square mile of land. Brazil, the county seat, is by far the largest community; the six incorporated towns are each considerably smaller, and about 60% of county residents live outside any incorporated place. The county’s median household income has historically trailed the Indiana median of $69,477, reflecting its roots as a coal-mining and agricultural county rather than a metro-adjacent commuter area.
Economy & Local Life
Coal mining built Clay County’s early economy, and reclaimed strip-mine land still shapes the landscape north and east of Brazil. Today the county’s economy leans on manufacturing, logistics tied to the nearby I-70 corridor, agriculture, and commuting to jobs in Terre Haute. Brazil’s downtown, centred on the 1913–1914 Clay County Courthouse, anchors local retail and county government. The county fairgrounds in Brazil host the annual county fair each summer, one of the county’s largest community gatherings.
History
The Indiana Legislature organised Clay County in 1825, drawing its territory from Owen, Putnam, Sullivan, and Vigo counties. It was named for Henry Clay, the Kentucky statesman and U.S. senator. By the 1860s, Harmony, Knightsville, and Brazil were growing quickly, driven by their position along the National Road and by a wave of coal companies that opened mines across the county. Brazil eventually overtook the older settlements to become the county’s commercial centre and seat. The present Clay County Courthouse, in the Classical Revival style, was built in 1913–1914 and still stands on the courthouse square in Brazil.
Getting There
U.S. Route 40, the historic National Road, and Interstate 70 both cross Clay County, with State Roads 59 and 46 providing north–south and secondary access.
- Terre Haute — 15 miles west
- Indianapolis — 65 miles east
- Bloomington — 30 miles southeast
- Greencastle — 20 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Terre Haute Regional Airport, about 15 miles west of Brazil; Indianapolis International Airport, roughly 65 miles east, offers a much wider range of commercial flights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clay County, Indiana?
It sits in the west-central part of the state, along the National Road and I-70 corridor between Terre Haute and Indianapolis.
What is the population of Clay County?
26,466 at the 2020 census.
How big is Clay County?
360.32 square miles (933.2 km2), of which 357.54 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Clay County?
Brazil is the county seat.
How many towns are in Clay County?
One city, Brazil, and six incorporated towns: Carbon, Center Point, Clay City, Harmony, Knightsville, and Staunton.
What ZIP codes are in Clay County?
The main ZIP codes are 47834 (Brazil), 47841 (Clay City), 47840 (Center Point), 47846 (Cory), 47837 (Carbon), 47833 (Bowling Green), 47857 (Knightsville), 47881 (Staunton), 47853 (Harmony), and 47845 (Coalmont).
Why is Clay County named Clay?
It honors Henry Clay, the Kentucky statesman, when the county was organised in 1825.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.