Clayton is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in northern Concordia Parish,

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, United States. The population was 711 at the 2010 census.

Cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

is a principal commodity in the area. Clayton is located on the

Tensas River The Tensas River is a river in Louisiana in the United States. The river, known as Tensas Bayou in its upper reaches, begins in East Carroll Parish in the northeast corner of the state and runs roughly southwest for U.S. Geological Survey. Natio ...

, important for

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

and

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

, promoted through a

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...

-maintained boat launch. The Tensas River merges with the Black River in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. Louisiana State Representative Andy Anders is from Clayton and

Ferriday Ferriday is a town in Concordia Parish, which borders the Mississippi River and is located on the central eastern border of Louisiana, United States. With a population of 3,511 at the 2010 census, it is an African-American majority town. The ...

. A major employer in the town was Clayton Gin Company which closed in the early 2000s and was mostly demolished in the early 2010s. The Clayton Gin was originally constructed in the 1940s by W. Howard Davis and his brother Doyle E. Davis. The gin operated under the name "Davis Bros. Gin Co.". The last surviving brother, Howard Davis, died in 1972 and the gin continued to operate under the management of his son-in-law Sam D. Cole until his death in 1979. The gin was sold in the early 1980s and continued operation as the "Clayton Gin Company" until the early 2000s.

Geography

Clayton is located in northern Concordia Parish along the south bank of the

. Catahoula Parish is to the north across the river.

U.S. Route 425 U.S. Route 425 (US 425) is a north–south United States highway that travels in the U.S. states of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. It was first commissioned in 1989. The route's northern terminus is in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, at ...

passes through the center of the town, leading north to Winnsboro and south to

and to

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the only city in and the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,520 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia, Louisiana, Natchez was ...

U.S. Route 65 U.S. Route 65 (US 65) is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 425 in Clayton, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at Interstate 35 just south of I ...

has its southern terminus in Clayton; it leads north to Tallulah and to its northern terminus in

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.24%, is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 584 people, 189 households, and 107 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 858 people, 317 households, and 220 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 361 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 31.70%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 67.25%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, and 1.05% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.47% of the population. There were 317 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 31.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.24. In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $14,100, and the median income for a family was $15,598. Males had a median income of $22,250 versus $12,500 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $7,955. About 38.9% of families and 45.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 59.0% of those under age 18 and 34.9% of those age 65 or over.

Photo gallery

Image:Tensas River vertical lift bridge, Clayton, LA.jpg, The Tensas River at Clayton, Louisiana Image:Clayton, LA, cotton gin IMG 1225.JPG, Clayton

Cotton Gin A cotton gin—meaning "cotton engine"—is a machine that quickly and easily separates cotton fibers from their seeds, enabling much greater productivity than manual cotton separation.. Reprinted by McGraw-Hill, New York and London, 1926 (); ...

References

External links

Clayton Progress
Community Progress Site for Clayton, LA {{authority control Towns in Concordia Parish, Louisiana Towns in Louisiana Towns in Natchez micropolitan area