CLAY COUNTY
Chief Economic Developer
Strategically located along the banks of the St. Johns River, Clay County is just south of Jacksonville in the heart of Northeast Florida. The environment is conducive to happy employees as well as business success. You’ll find welcoming, community oriented atmospheres with all the amenities of a major metro area. Down time and family time is enhanced by abundant and varied year-round recreational activities from boating, sailing and fishing to biking, hiking, horseback riding and more.
Clay County is home to several master planned communities that provide quality “live, work, and play" settings. In fact, the county’s proactive master planning approach incorporates a variety of mixed uses as well as major regional developments and business parks for current and future business facilities. Construction of the First Coast Outer Beltway will provide additional transportation connectivity and will create numerous new development opportunities in the county.
Clay County enjoys a diverse economy and a history of lower unemployment and a lower cost of doing business. The area’s foremost attributes are an abundant, readily available quality workforce. Close proximity to several large military facilities provide a unique source of disciplined and highly trained individuals. Business and industries in Clay County are capitalizing on the motivated, dedicated, flexible and highly productive workforce to provide the best opportunity to compete in the global economy today and tomorrow.
Clay County Statistics
Population
| Classification | Numbers |
| Total Population (2009) | 187,954 |
| Projected Population (2014) | 202,866 |
| Population Growth (2009 to 2014) | 7.9% |
| Median Age | 36.9 |
Source: Decision Data, 2009
| Age in Years | Population |
| Under 4 | 7.6% |
| 5-14 | 13.1% |
| 15-19 | 6.9% |
| 20-24 | 7.0% |
| 25-34 | 13.0% |
| 35-44 | 13.7% |
| 45-54 | 14.8% |
| 55-64 | 12.4% |
| 65-74 | 6.9% |
| 75-84 | 3.3% |
| 85+ | 1.2% |
Source: Decision Data, 2009
Racial Mix*
| Race | Percentage |
| White | 78.4% |
| Black | 9.4% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.1% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| Other Race | 3.7% |
| Two or More Races | 5.7% |
| **Hispanic or Latino Origin | 7.8% |
*Race alone or in combination with one or more other races. Total may not equal 100%.
** Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin can be of any race.
Source: Decision Data, 2009
Major Employers
| Employer | Sector | Number of Employees |
| Clay County School Board | County School Board | 4,000 |
| Orange Park Medical Center | Hospital | 950 |
| Jacksonville Kennel Club | Race Track & Restaurant | 600 |
| Clay County Sheriff's Office | Law Enforcement | 585 |
| HCA Patient Account Service Center | Insurance, Billing, Claims Processing & Procurement | 550 |
| Challenge Enterprises | Disabled Services | 336 |
| VAC-CON | Truck Manufacturer | 250 |
| Clay Electric Cooperative Inc. | Electric Utilities | 244 |
| Kindred Hospital North Florida | Long-Term Care | 240 |
Vanguard Realty
| Residential Real Estate Agency
| 237 |
BellSouth Wholesale Operations
| Wholesale Communications, Call Center, Maintenance & Programming
| 225 |
| Life Care Center of Orange Park | Nursing Home | 210 |
Family Medical Centers & Affiliates
| Physicians Group
| 207 |
Consulate Health Care | Nursing Home
| 200 |
Information Current as of April 2009
Income
| Classification | Income |
Average Household Income
| $68,214 |
Median Household Income
| $64,367 |
| Per Capita Income | $24,264 |
Source: Decision Data, 2009