Clay County is a county in Texas, United States, part of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area in North Texas. It had a population of 10,218 at the 2020 census and covers 1,117 square miles (2,890 km2) centred near 33°47′N 98°13′W.
Henrietta is the county seat, and its postal code is 76365. The county has six incorporated cities and around nineteen unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Clay County
Clay County has 25 named places on record, six of them incorporated: Henrietta (the seat) plus Bellevue, Byers, Dean, Jolly, and Petrolia. The rest are unincorporated communities and rural crossroads, marked “Unincorp.” below.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henrietta | City · seat | — | 76365 |
| Bellevue | City | — | 76228 |
| Byers | City | — | 76357 |
| Dean | City | — | 76365 |
| Jolly | City | — | 76365 |
| Petrolia | City | — | 76377 |
| Bluegrove | Unincorp. | — | 76352 |
| Buffalo Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Charlie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deer Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dickworsham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Edwards | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Frame | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Halsell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Huggins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hurnville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Joy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prospect | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Raymond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shannon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stanfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thornberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vashti | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Windthorst | Unincorp. | — | — |
Dean and Jolly are incorporated cities but have no post office of their own; mail there is addressed through Henrietta’s 76365 ZIP. Windthorst, though unincorporated, is one of the county’s largest communities and keeps its own strong German-Catholic identity, distinct from the ranching towns along US 82.
ZIP Codes
- 76365 — Henrietta (also serves Dean and Jolly)
- 76228 — Bellevue
- 76357 — Byers
- 76377 — Petrolia
- 76352 — Bluegrove (PO Box only)
Smaller communities such as Windthorst, Joy, and Charlie share a ZIP code with the nearest post-office town rather than having one of their own.
Geography
Clay County lies in the rolling prairie and cross-timbers country of North Texas, drained by the West Fork of the Trinity River and the Little Wichita River. Lake Arrowhead State Park, on Lake Arrowhead in the county’s southeast, covers roughly 14,390 acres and gives the county its main lakeshore recreation area.
Clay County borders Wichita County to the northwest, Montague County to the east, Jack County to the south, and Archer County to the west, with Jefferson County, Oklahoma across the Red River to the north. Cotton County, Oklahoma lies just across the river to the northwest as well.
The land is mostly gently rolling grassland and mesquite pasture, cut by the West Fork of the Trinity River in the south and the Little Wichita River in the north. Ranching and wheat fields dominate the open countryside outside the towns, with the Red River forming the entire northern county line.
Demographics
Clay County had 10,218 residents at the 2020 census. Henrietta, the county seat, is by far the largest community; Petrolia and Bellevue are the next-largest incorporated towns. The county is well below the Texas median household income of $75,780, typical for a rural agricultural county in this part of the state. Population density works out to roughly 9 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and wheat farming have anchored Clay County’s economy since the 19th century, and oil and gas services remain a major employer following the county’s early-1900s Petrolia oil boom. County government, the Henrietta school district, and retail along US 82 and US 287 provide most in-town jobs. Windthorst’s annual events reflect its German-Catholic settler heritage.
History
Clay County was formed in 1857 and organized in 1860, named for Henry Clay, the Kentucky senator and U.S. Secretary of State. Its economy was overwhelmingly agricultural until 1904, when the Petrolia oil field was discovered near the county’s namesake town, making Petrolia one of the earliest oil boomtowns in Texas and helping launch the state’s early petroleum industry.
Getting There
US Highways 82 and 287 cross the county, along with Texas Highways 59, 79, and 148.
- Wichita Falls — about 20 miles northwest
- Bowie — about 25 miles southeast
- Jacksboro — about 30 miles south
- Fort Worth — about 100 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is in Wichita Falls, roughly 20–25 miles from Henrietta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clay County, Texas?
It sits in North Texas along the Red River, part of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, bordering Oklahoma to the north.
What is the population of Clay County?
10,218 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Clay County?
1,117 square miles (2,890 km2) total, of which 1,089 square miles is land and 28 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Clay County?
Henrietta is the county seat.
How many towns are in Clay County?
Six incorporated cities — Henrietta, Bellevue, Byers, Dean, Jolly, and Petrolia — plus about nineteen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Clay County?
76365 (Henrietta), 76228 (Bellevue), 76357 (Byers), 76377 (Petrolia), and 76352 (Bluegrove).
What state park is in Clay County?
Lake Arrowhead State Park, built around Lake Arrowhead in the county’s southeast corner.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.