Population 258,122 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Clay County
Household size in Clay County
| Period | Clay County | Kansas City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.57 | 2.49 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.60 | 2.52 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.55 | 2.49 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.02 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Clay County average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has crept up from 2.52 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the center.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 38.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.5 | 37.9 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 38.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.7 | 39.2 | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +1.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Clay County are younger than 38.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 36.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Clay County is younger than the great majority of Missouri counties.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 11.9% | 11.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 10.9% | 11.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Clay County (11.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.4% | 31.2% | 30.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.0% | 33.7% | 32.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 34.9% | 33.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.5% | 34.2% | 31.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +3.0 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Clay County rent their homes (30.5%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About a third of owners (32.6%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.1 points, in line with the national trend.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.7% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 9.0% | 12.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.5% | 10.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Clay County than nationally: 6.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.9 points, in line with the national trend. Few Missouri counties have a lower vacancy rate: only three of 115.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1976 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1977 | 1975 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1977 | 1976 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Clay County is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1987, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $893 | $897 | $740 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $928 | $980 | $816 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,073 | $1,095 | $899 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,396 | $1,395 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$504 | +$498 | +$383 | +$606 |
Rent in Clay County runs $1,396 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $504 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the east; the highest are in the center.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.8% | 33.5% | 26.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 34.1% | 27.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.0% | 37.1% | 29.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.5% | 39.7% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Clay County as nationally: 37.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only seven of Missouri's 115 counties have a higher share of college graduates.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.0% | 90.5% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 90.9% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 91.8% | 90.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.1% | 92.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.4 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Clay County is above the national rate: 94.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Clay County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Missouri counties.
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 City area | Missouri | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 6.8% | 7.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 7.6% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.0% | 4.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.9 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Clay County runs below the national rate: 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.2 points, as it has nationally. 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 | 2.59 | 38.7 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 6.1% | 1987 | $1,396 | 37.5% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
| Platte County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 32.6% | 6.8% | 1990 | $1,409 | 47.3% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Wyandotte County | 2.83 | 35.5 | 16.4% | 38.0% | 10.8% | 1964 | $1,241 | 21.3% | 81.3% | 5.8% |
| Ray County | 2.57 | 42.3 | 10.8% | 22.7% | 8.8% | 1973 | $867 | 16.3% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
| Leavenworth County | 2.72 | 39.5 | 9.5% | 30.7% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,375 | 37.5% | 94.3% | 4.4% |
| Jefferson County | 2.46 | 44.0 | 5.5% | 14.3% | 7.8% | 1979 | $946 | 24.5% | 94.2% | 2.5% |
| Saline County | 2.69 | 35.7 | 10.6% | 30.2% | 18.0% | 1969 | $818 | 24.5% | 86.4% | 3.2% |
| Howard County | 2.62 | 39.0 | 9.2% | 21.3% | 18.1% | 1974 | $816 | 27.9% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
| Pottawatomie County | 2.77 | 37.3 | 5.4% | 17.8% | 8.5% | 1984 | $1,157 | 39.3% | 96.6% | 2.4% |
| Riley County | 2.32 | 30.7 | 9.1% | 53.9% | 9.5% | 1987 | $1,125 | 46.9% | 96.7% | 4.6% |
| Clay County | 2.24 | 42.6 | 12.8% | 22.0% | 10.8% | 1962 | $1,011 | 25.9% | 93.4% | 1.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: St. Clair County, IL · Canyon County, ID · Chatham County, GA · Cherokee County, GA · Chesapeake City, VA · Clayton County, GA · Cumberland County, ME · Cumberland County, NC · Escambia County, FL · Galveston County, TX
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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