{"id":3292,"date":"2023-05-03T15:01:34","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T15:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/?p=3292"},"modified":"2026-08-14T22:20:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T22:20:48","slug":"clay-county-iowa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/townsvillages.com\/us\/clay-county-iowa\/","title":{"rendered":"Clay County, Iowa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clay County is a county in Iowa, United States, anchored by the Little Sioux River in the northwest corner of the state. It had a population of 16,384 at the 2020 census and covers 573 square miles (1,480 km2) centred near 43\u00b004\u203251\u2033N 95\u00b008\u203258\u2033W.<\/p>\n

Spencer is the county seat and its postal code is 51301. The county has 9 incorporated cities, several unincorporated communities and 16 civil townships. Clay County sits in the Central time zone.<\/p>\n

Towns & Villages in Clay County<\/h2>\n

Clay County has 9 incorporated cities and a handful of unincorporated communities and mobile-home developments. Spencer, the county seat, is home to roughly seven in ten county residents; every other incorporated place has under 600 people. Unincorp. below means the place has never been formally incorporated.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Place<\/th>\nType<\/th>\nTownship<\/th>\nPop.<\/th>\nZIP<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Spencer<\/td>\nCity · seat<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n11,325<\/td>\n51301<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Everly<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n576<\/td>\n51338<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Royal<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n382<\/td>\n51357<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peterson<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\nPeterson<\/td>\n324<\/td>\n51047<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fostoria<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n232<\/td>\n51340<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dickens<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n149<\/td>\n51333<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Webb<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n142<\/td>\n51366<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Greenville<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n69<\/td>\n51343<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rossie<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n48<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gillett Grove<\/td>\nCity<\/td>\nGillett Grove<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n51341<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cornell<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Langdon<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birchwood Estates<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Country Villa MH Park<\/td>\nUnincorp.<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Rossie has no post office of its own; mail there is handled through a neighboring ZIP. Birchwood Estates and Country Villa MH Park are manufactured-home developments near Spencer rather than platted towns, and their unofficial “township” assignment could not be verified, so it is left blank above.<\/p>\n

Townships<\/h2>\n

Iowa still administers rural land through civil townships. Clay County has 16: Clay, Douglas, Freeman, Garfield, Gillett Grove, Herdland, Lake, Lincoln, Logan, Lone Tree, Meadow, Peterson, Riverton, Sioux, Summit and Waterford. Individual township population figures from the 2020 census were not verifiable at publication and are omitted rather than estimated.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Township<\/th>\nPop. (2020)<\/th>\nMain settlements<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Peterson<\/td>\n—<\/td>\nPeterson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Gillett Grove<\/td>\n—<\/td>\nGillett Grove<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Riverton<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Summit<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Logan<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meadow<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Herdland<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Waterford<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sioux<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lone Tree<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Clay<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Douglas<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Freeman<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Garfield<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lake<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lincoln<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

ZIP Codes<\/h2>\n