The Town Files

Clay County, Kansas

8,048 people. The median home is worth $155,900 (typical Kansas town: $128,200) and the median household earns $66,176.

Towns in Clay County

Towns in Clay County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Clay Center4,199$143,600$62,69542.3

People and housing

Clay CountyTypical Kansas town
Median home value$155,900$128,200
Median rent$937$815
Median household income$66,176$63,857
Median age43.738.5
Bachelor's degree or higher25.5%24.0%
Below the poverty line13.4%10.6%

Jobs and pay

2,926 jobs in 2024, average pay $40,138 a year.

Largest industries in Clay CountyRetail444 jobs · $28,511Manufacturing222 jobs · $46,133Wholesale trade162 jobs · $64,442Construction110 jobs · $47,628Agriculture, forestry & fishi…108 jobs · $38,464Other services88 jobs · $34,254
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Clay County0%2%4%6%2000200420082012201620202023 2.5%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 522 storm events in Clay County from 1996 to 2026, with 4 deaths.

Storm events in Clay County by type since 1996Hail212Heat11Flood7Drought12Tornado18Dense Fog9High Wind14Heavy Snow13Flash Flood31Winter Storm33
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Clay County has been included in 17 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
February 17, 2022Severe StormDR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds
March 29, 2020BiologicalDR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3481: Covid-19
June 20, 2019Severe StormDR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides
October 19, 2018Severe StormDR-4403: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
July 20, 2015Severe StormDR-4230: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).