Clay City, Kentucky
Clay City is a city of 1,204 people in Powell County, Kentucky, founded in 1890.
Why visit Clay City
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks and 2 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Clay City National Bank Building.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Clay City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Clay City
Clay City is a home rule-class city in Powell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,193 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Clay City, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks2
Clay City National Bank Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Bank building in Clay City, Kentucky
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship2
Gas and EV charging4
History
The first European settlement in the vicinity of present-day Clay City was in 1786, by Stephen Collins and his brother, after their discovery of pyrite deposits. Shortly afterwards, the brothers set up the first iron forge west of the Allegheny Mountains and established Collins Forge. The Collins brother sold their forge to Clark and Smith in 1805, the forerunner company of the Red River Iron Works. For much of the 19th century, the settlement was known by the same name as the forge. By the 1880s, the post office was moved across the river and was renamed Waltersville for the local family carrying the same surname.
By 1883 the settlement was named Clay City, possibly for the local clay deposits. It is believed that the name was officially changed from Waltersville on August 13, 1883, when the post office was renamed Clay City. The settlement was incorporated as a fifth-class city on April 19, 1890.
From the History section of Clay City, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Map of Clay City
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 23°F | 3.6 in | 4.3 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 26°F | 3.7 in | 3.1 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 33°F | 5.0 in | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 42°F | 4.6 in | 0.2 in |
| May | 75°F | 52°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 43°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 34°F | 3.4 in | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 4.2 in | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Stanton 2W (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Powell County has had 27 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 39 miles away.
- Winchester 17 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- Richmond 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Beattyville 23 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Berea 27 mi southwest, about 44 min by car
- Paris 30 mi northwest, about 48 min by car
- Lexington-Fayette 31 mi northwest, about 50 min by car
- Carlisle 32 mi north, about 52 min by car
- Nicholasville 35 mi west, about 56 min by car
- Georgetown 43 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Versailles 45 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Clay City National Bank Building, Nyttend, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.