Clay Twp Ottawa OH, 2006
Clay Township’s story
Clay Township in pictures
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Clay TownshipOttawa County, OH
A town of 4,690.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
4,690
2025 Census estimate · −2.7% since 2020
Median home value
$160K
Census ACS
Household income
$86K
median
Median age
38.3
years
Jobs based here
1,176
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#139 of 987 in OH
Is Clay Township a good place to live?
Clay Township gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $160K for a typical one, or 2.2 years of the Sandusky metro’s $74K median household income. It grades A overall, 139th among Ohio's 987 graded towns. On the plus side, its schools rank ahead of 80% of Ohio towns. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 94% of U.S. towns. Only 109 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns score higher on history. The biggest park or preserve is Veteran's Memorial Park, at 45 acres. 88% of households own their home in Clay Township, above both the Ohio town median (77%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
What makes Clay Township stand out
Where Clay Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
91% of working residents leave Clay Township for work
Where Clay Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,176jobs based in Clay Township
9%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Clay Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Clay Township is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.7 of 20; 4.2% of households have no car; 1.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Jobs & income$86K median household incomeB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →HealthBay Park Community Hospital 9 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landC−Open →History1 notable person born hereAOpen →Civic life3.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Clay Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Clay Township, and how to reach them.
PowerThe Toledo Edison16.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGenoa Village water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpClay Twp Recycling CenterIn townOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Ohio you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDirector, Ottawa County Board of ElectionsOttawa County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2022
ZIP codes43430, 43445, 4341643430 89% · 43445 8% · 43416 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Clay Township.
Clay Township pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices, but it has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
SchoolsA−
Clay Township earns an A− for schools
Its A− for schools comes with an A for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $160K.
Its public schools are run by the Genoa Area Local school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Genoa Area High School, with 369 students.
80%of OH districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genoa ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 628 | A− |
| Genoa Area High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 369 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most of Clay Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here fell from 1,484 in 2013 to 1,176.
Most working residents leave Clay Township for work: only 9% work in town. Jobs based in Clay Township fell to 1,176 in 2023, 308 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Toledo (19%), Perrysburg Township (7%) and Genoa (5%).
9%work in town
| Clay Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.4% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Clay Township9%
Toledo19%
Perrysburg Township7%
Genoa5%
Oregon4%
14 mi
median commute distance
1,176
jobs based in Clay Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 31% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Clay Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Clay Township has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 20° and about 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–36°
Spring40–60°
Summer62–83°
Fall44–63°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Ohio overall
Adults 18 to 34 are 18% of residents (22% statewide). 25% of Clay Township residents are under 18. Clay Township has lost 2.7% of its people since 2020, down to 4,690 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
38.3median age · OH 39.7
| Clay Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 25% | 22% | 22% |
| Median age | 38.3 years | 41.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 24% | 29% |
Clay TownshipOhioUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school37%
Some college17%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s15%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.5 points. Across Ohio, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Clay Township | OH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.2% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.5% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.2% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.7% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.9% | 10.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.4% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.4% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 37.4% | 32.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.4% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.9% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.8% | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.1% | 12.2% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,700, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB−
Clay Township is less healthy than 53% of U.S. towns
Clay Township beats the Ohio average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 39% of adults have high blood pressure in Clay Township.
47%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Clay Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 38% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 28% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 26% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Clay Township | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.1% | 8.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.5% | 14.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.7% |
Bay Park Community Hospital
9 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
60th
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC−
Clay Township has set aside 0.3% of its land for conservation
0.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0.3%conserved
0.3%
conserved · 45 of 16,578 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Veteran's Memorial Park | 0.6 mi | 45 |
| 2. Waterworks Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Clay Township
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Clay Township.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
3
paid flood claims since 1982
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 62 attractions →Cedar Point and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Clay Township. Close and well known come first.
Big draw35 mi Theme parkCedar Point3.8M visitors a year
14 mi MuseumToledo Museum of Art340K visitors a year
13 mi Zoo & aquariumToledo Zoo
15 mi LandmarkFort Meigs
29 mi National MemorialPerry's Victory and International Peace Memorial124K visitors a year
29 mi CaveCrystal CaveSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cedar Point: Larry Pieniazek, User:Lar, en:User:Lar (primary), CC BY 2.5 · Toledo Museum of Art: Ɱ, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Toledo Zoo: DreamingKoala, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Meigs: Traveler100, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial: NPS Photo, Public domain · Crystal Cave: Analogue Kid at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Clay Township
19pages on Clay Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Clay Township
Owens Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Perrysburg10.3 mi$5,870 in-state tuitionDavis CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Toledo12.6 mi$14,130 tuitionMercy College of OhioUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Toledo13.6 mi$19,470 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Clay Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
About Clay Township
Township in Ohio, US
Clay Township is one of the twelve townships of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The 2020 census found 4,825 people in the township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 26 sq mi
- Elevation
- 633 ft
Clay Township’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Clay Township.
It grades higher overall than all 4 graded towns on its borders; Allen Township (A−) comes closest.
Allen TownshipMillburyLake TownshipHarris TownshipWoodville TownshipBenton TownshipClay Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Township | #139 | A | A | — | A− | B− |
| Allen Township | #215 | A− | B+ | — | A− | B− |
| Millbury | — | — | B | — | B+ | B− |
| Lake Township | #610 | B− | B | — | B+ | B− |
| Harris Township | #216 | A− | A− | — | B+ | B− |
| Woodville Township | #283 | B+ | A− | — | B+ | B− |
| Benton Township | — | — | B | — | A | B− |
Millbury and Benton Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Clay Township, Allen Township, Millbury, Lake Township, Harris Township, Woodville Township and Benton Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Clay Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Clay Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Clay Township, OH a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Clay Township grades A overall, better than 87% of U.S. towns and #139 of 987 in Ohio. It grades B− for health and A− for schools.
Is Clay Township, OH expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.