Clay County, Missouri

Last updated

Clay County, Missouri
County
Clay County Missouri Courthouse 20191027-7046.jpg
South side of the Clay County Courthouse (designed by Wight and Wight) in Liberty
Clay County, Missouri Flag.png
Flag
Map of Missouri highlighting Clay County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Coordinates: 39°19′N94°25′W / 39.31°N 94.42°W / 39.31; -94.42
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Missouri.svg Missouri
FoundedJanuary 2, 1822
Named after Henry Clay
Seat Liberty
Largest city Kansas City
Area
 • Total
409 sq mi (1,060 km2)
 • Land397 sq mi (1,030 km2)
 • Water11 sq mi (28 km2)  2.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
253,335 Increase2.svg
 • Density620/sq mi (240/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 5th, 6th
Website www.claycountymo.gov

Clay County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 253,335, [1] making it the fifth-most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Liberty. [2] The county was organized January 2, 1822, and named in honor of U.S. Representative Henry Clay from Kentucky, later a member of the United States Senate and United States Secretary of State. [3] [4] Clay County contains many of the area's northern suburbs, along with a portion of the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It also owns and operates the Midwest National Air Center in Excelsior Springs.

Contents

History

Clay County was settled primarily from migrants from the Upper Southern states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. Clay was one of several counties settled mostly by Southerners to the north and south of the Missouri River. Given their culture and traditions, this area became known as Little Dixie. In 1860, enslaved persons made up 25% or more of the county's population. [5]

The 1828 execution of Annice, a slave owned by Jeremiah Prior, was the first to occur in Clay County. [6] She was also the first female slave executed in the state of Missouri. [7]

Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints found refuge in Clay County in November 1833 after they were driven from Jackson County, Missouri. In 1836, mobs and the Missouri State militia viciously drove the members of the church from the county. [8] Leaders of this church, most notably Joseph Smith, were imprisoned for some months in Clay County in the jail at Liberty. In May 2012, the LDS Church built the Kansas City Missouri Temple six miles southwest of the Liberty Jail site at 7001 Searcy Creek Parkway in Kansas City, Missouri. [9]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 409 square miles (1,060 km2), of which 397 square miles (1,030 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (2.8%) is covered by water. [10] It is the fourth-smallest county in Missouri by area.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1830 5,338—
1840 8,28355.2%
1850 10,38225.3%
1860 13,02325.4%
1870 15,56419.5%
1880 15,5710.0%
1890 19,85627.5%
1900 18,903−4.8%
1910 20,3027.4%
1920 20,4550.8%
1930 26,81131.1%
1940 30,41713.4%
1950 45,22148.7%
1960 87,47493.4%
1970 123,32241.0%
1980 136,48810.7%
1990 153,41112.4%
2000 184,00619.9%
2010 221,93920.6%
2020 253,33514.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [11]
1790-1960 [12] 1900-1990 [13]
1990-2000 [14] 2010-2019 [15]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 253,335. The median age was 37.3 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.7 males age 18 and over. [16]

The racial makeup of the county was 78.4% White, 7.2% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.4% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.3% from some other race, and 8.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.4% of the population. [17]

91.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 8.1% lived in rural areas. [18]

There were 100,254 households in the county, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [16]

There were 105,619 housing units, of which 5.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.6% were owner-occupied and 32.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.3%. [16]

Racial and ethnic composition

Clay County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 [19] Pop 1990 [20] Pop 2000 [21] Pop 2010 [22] Pop 2020 [23] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)4,311,5984,448,465166,445186,611193,28287.69%86.93%90.46%84.08%76.30%
Black or African American alone (NH)510,885545,5274,79411,22017,85310.39%10.66%2.61%5.06%7.05%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)12,31018,8737981,0151,0090.25%0.37%0.43%0.46%0.40%
Asian alone (NH)23,08840,0872,4564,5036,0590.47%0.78%1.33%2.03%2.39%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [24] x [25] 1555491,004xx0.08%0.25%0.40%
Other race alone (NH)7,1522,4191812721,0120.15%0.05%0.10%0.12%0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [26] x [27] 2,5834,66814,266xx1.40%2.10%5.63%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)51,65361,7026,59413,10118,8501.05%1.21%3.58%5.90%7.44%
Total4,916,6865,117,073184,006221,939253,335 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, 221,939 people, 72,558 households, and 50,137 families resided in the county. The population density was 558 people per square mile (215 people/km2). The 93,918 housing units averaged 236 per square mile (91/km2). [28]

The racial makeup of the county was 87.46% White, 5.18% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 2.05% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 1.77% from other races, and 2.75% from two or more races. About 5.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. [28]

Of the 72,558 households, 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were not families. About 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00. [28]

In the county, the population was distributed as 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 32.30% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males. [28]

In 2010 the median income for a household in the county was $48,347, and for a family was $56,772. Males had a median income of $40,148 versus $27,681 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,144. About 3.80% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.40% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.

2015 estimate

In 2015 the median income for a household in Clay County was $62,099. The income per capita in Clay County was $29,793. [29]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 23.3% were of German, 14.5% American, 11.0% English, 10.8% Irish, and 5.6% Italian ancestry. [30]

Registered voters

Registered voters number 151,042. [31]

Education

School districts include: [32]

K-12:

Elementary-only district:

Public schools

Private schools

Postsecondary

Libraries, archives, museums

Libraries

Archives

Museums

Communities

Cities and towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 US census of Clay County. [35]

†County seat
††Partly within adjacent counties

RankNameMunicipal TypePopulation
1 Kansas City ††Home Rule508,090
2 Liberty †Special Charter30,167
3 Gladstone 3rd Class City27,063
4 Excelsior Springs ††4th Class City10,553
5 Smithville ††4th Class City10,406
6 Kearney 4th Class City10,404
7 North Kansas City 3rd Class City4,467
8 Pleasant Valley 4th Class City2,743
9 Lawson ††4th Class City2,541
10 Claycomo Village1,343
11 Glenaire 4th Class City539
12 Holt ††4th Class City471
13 Avondale 4th Class City436
14 Oakview Village366
15 Missouri City 4th Class City217
16 Excelsior Estates ††4th Class City209
17 Oakwood Village198
18 Birmingham Village189
19 Oakwood Park Village189
20 Oaks Village128
21 Prathersville Village121
22 Mosby 4th Class City101
23 Paradise CDP75
24 Randolph 4th Class City57

Notable people

Politics

Clay County, like the rest of Missouri, has swung to the Republican Party in the 21st century, though the margins have been very close. In 2000, Al Gore famously won the county by one vote. The county, holding Kansas City, is mainly suburban in culture and remains competitive. In 2016, Donald Trump won the county while Hillary Clinton failed to improve on Barack Obama's percentages with only 41% of the vote. Joe Biden, however, did improve on those margins, winning nearly 47% of the vote in 2020; Trump still carried the county by 4%.

United States presidential election results for Clay County, Missouri [38]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
1888 1,10322.62%3,62874.39%1462.99%
1892 73816.73%3,08569.92%58913.35%
1896 92418.25%4,07180.42%671.32%
1900 92120.04%3,58578.00%901.96%
1904 1,07726.70%2,83270.22%1243.07%
1908 1,16624.63%3,51374.19%561.18%
1912 59212.47%3,41772.00%73715.53%
1916 1,30724.83%3,90274.13%551.04%
1920 2,80430.75%6,28368.91%310.34%
1924 2,99831.69%6,07664.24%3854.07%
1928 5,58449.92%5,57449.83%270.24%
1932 3,11724.71%9,39874.52%970.77%
1936 4,49131.89%9,53567.70%580.41%
1940 6,15938.83%9,67260.98%300.19%
1944 6,72443.53%8,68256.21%400.26%
1948 6,40835.01%11,85564.77%410.22%
1952 13,04350.95%12,50248.84%530.21%
1956 13,43649.69%13,60550.31%00.00%
1960 18,95552.26%17,31847.74%00.00%
1964 13,99736.84%23,99363.16%00.00%
1968 19,64344.48%17,54739.73%6,97215.79%
1972 33,01769.43%14,53830.57%00.00%
1976 24,96247.71%26,60950.86%7441.42%
1980 28,52150.65%24,25043.06%3,5436.29%
1984 36,52961.79%22,58638.21%00.00%
1988 30,29350.26%29,62049.15%3570.59%
1992 23,79831.40%30,56540.33%21,41528.26%
1996 28,93541.85%32,60347.15%7,60911.00%
2000 39,08348.75%39,08448.75%2,0062.50%
2004 51,19353.07%44,67046.31%5970.62%
2008 54,51649.55%53,76148.86%1,7481.59%
2012 56,19152.99%47,31044.61%2,5422.40%
2016 57,47651.70%45,30440.75%8,3907.55%
2020 64,60551.04%59,40046.93%2,5642.03%
2024 67,68851.75%60,34546.14%2,7562.11%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. p. 277.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 83.
  5. ↑ T. J. Stiles, Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War, New York: Vintage Books, 2003, pp.10-11
  6. ↑ "In 1828 a slave woman named Annice drowned two of her small children in a stream; she was put upon trial, convicted, and was hung in Liberty, August 23rd following, this being the first legal execution in the county." County History: Clay County, Missouri. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  7. ↑ Frazier, Harriet C. (2001). Slavery and Crime in Missouri, 1773-1865. McFarland. p. 170. ISBN   9780786409778.
  8. ↑ Jenson, Andrew. Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1941) p. 144-145
  9. ↑ "Kansas City Missouri LDS (Mormon) Temple". Ldschurchtemples.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  10. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 25, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  17. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  18. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  19. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Missouri- Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980" (PDF). United States Census Bureau . p. 20-25.
  20. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Missouri: Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau . p. 13-63.
  21. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Clay County, Missouri". United States Census Bureau .
  22. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Missouri". United States Census Bureau .
  23. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Missouri". United States Census Bureau .
  24. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  25. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  26. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  27. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  28. 1 2 3 4 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  29. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  30. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  31. ↑ IT, Missouri Secretary of State -. "Registered Voters in Missouri". www.sos.mo.gov. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  32. ↑ Geography Division (January 12, 2021). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clay County, MO (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved September 9, 2022. - Text list
  33. ↑ "MCC SERVICE AREAS" (PDF). Metropolitan Community College . Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  34. ↑ Breeding, Marshall. "North Kansas City Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  35. ↑ "2023-2024 Official Manual of the State of Missouri". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  36. ↑ Anderson, Gene (December 7, 2015). Legendary Locals of Oakland. Arcadia Publishing. p. 43. ISBN   978-1-4396-5405-7.
  37. ↑ "Freed from Debt, Bethel Church Pays Off a Mortgage". San Francisco Chronicle . April 11, 1892. Retrieved November 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  38. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 21, 2018.

Further reading

39°19′N94°25′W / 39.31°N 94.42°W / 39.31; -94.42

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