Population 8,048 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Clay County
Household size in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Clay County are small: just 2.24 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.32 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.3 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.5 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.6 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.7 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Clay County is 42.6 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has dropped from 45.3 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Clay County (12.8%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Clay County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Kansas counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Clay County
Renters in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.6% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.0% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.0% of households in Clay County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 46.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. The renter share has fallen 4.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Clay County is close to the national rate: 10.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Clay County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $640 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $638 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $593 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,011 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$370 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Clay County costs $1,011 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $370 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Clay County
Bachelor's degrees in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.9% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.9% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Clay County than nationally: 25.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.6% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.1% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.4% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Clay County is above the national rate: 93.4% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.2% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.8% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.2% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Clay County has been low: just 1.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Clay County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 2.24 | 42.6 | 12.8% | 22.0% | 10.8% | 1962 | $1,011 | 25.9% | 93.4% | 1.2% |
| Pottawatomie County | 2.77 | 37.3 | 5.4% | 17.8% | 8.5% | 1984 | $1,157 | 39.3% | 96.6% | 2.4% |
| Mitchell County | 2.12 | 45.1 | 6.8% | 31.0% | 13.0% | 1956 | $616 | 26.7% | 93.7% | 0.1% |
| Jackson County | 2.67 | 42.3 | 5.2% | 22.9% | 11.7% | 1975 | $865 | 22.7% | 93.5% | 1.6% |
| Osborne County | 2.11 | 45.9 | 9.9% | 22.8% | 21.9% | 1951 | $648 | 24.1% | 93.8% | 1.6% |
| Jefferson County | 2.46 | 44.0 | 5.5% | 14.3% | 7.8% | 1979 | $946 | 24.5% | 94.2% | 2.5% |
| Leavenworth County | 2.72 | 39.5 | 9.5% | 30.7% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,375 | 37.5% | 94.3% | 4.4% |
| Rooks County | 2.17 | 45.5 | 7.6% | 25.7% | 18.5% | 1952 | $670 | 23.7% | 94.3% | 2.1% |
| Platte County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 32.6% | 6.8% | 1990 | $1,409 | 47.3% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Clay County | 2.59 | 38.7 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 6.1% | 1987 | $1,396 | 37.5% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
| Graham County | 1.96 | 50.3 | 12.5% | 21.2% | 17.4% | 1957 | $767 | 28.5% | 95.0% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hemphill County, TX · Scott County, AR · Hardy County, WV · Schuyler County, NY · Harrison County, IA · Harrison County, OH · Sawyer County, WI · Sargent County, ND · Sanders County, MT · Sanborn County, SD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Clay County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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