Clay County, Kansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 47th-largest in Kansas

The population of Clay County, Kansas is 8,071 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 47th-largest county in Kansas. The median household income is $63,136, the median home value is $149,600, and the median age is 43.1.

The population of Clay County has declined 6.7% since 2010 (8,544 → 7,969), a -0.50% annualized rate.

Clay County within Kansas · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

8,071

Population

-0.50%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$63,136

Median Income

$149,600

Median Home Value

Clay County covers 645 sq mi of land at 12.5 people per square mile.

About Clay County, KS

Clay County stands apart on settlement density — it is among the most sparsely settled of US counties, at roughly 13 people per square mile. With 8,071 residents, Clay County is a county in Kansas. It ranks #47 among counties in Kansas by population.

The typical household here earns about $63,136, below the US median of $78,538. The poverty rate is 12.0%, close to the national 12.4%. Median home value is $149,600, with typical rent around $911.

Roughly 23.4% of adults have a bachelor’s, below the national 35.0%. About 7.6% of the workforce is home-based, below the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 23 minutes each way.

Clay County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Clay County had a population of 8,544 in 2010 and 7,969 in 2024, a -6.7% growth over 14 years. The peak was 8,544 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.49%.

Clay County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

7,969

Population (2024)

8,544

Population (2010)

8,544

Peak (2010)

-0.49%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	8,544	-	-	estimate
2011	8,526	-18	-0.21%	estimate
2012	8,499	-27	-0.32%	estimate
2013	8,384	-115	-1.35%	estimate
2014	8,298	-86	-1.03%	estimate
2015	8,291	-7	-0.08%	estimate
2016	8,106	-185	-2.23%	estimate
2017	8,003	-103	-1.27%	estimate
2018	8,008	+5	+0.06%	estimate
2019	8,009	+1	+0.01%	estimate
2020	8,127	+118	+1.47%	estimate
2021	8,099	-28	-0.34%	estimate
2022	8,048	-51	-0.63%	estimate
2023	7,996	-52	-0.65%	estimate
2024	7,969	-27	-0.34%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	94.3%
Black or African American	2.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.3%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

43.1

Median Age

49.7%

Female

50.3%

Male

24.6%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.0%

5–9

6.6%

10–14

6.7%

15–19

4.9%

20–24

5.2%

25–34

9.9%

35–44

12.3%

45–54

10.8%

55–59

6.1%

60–64

6.8%

65–74

13.4%

75–84

7.6%

85+

3.6%

Children (under 15): 19.3% · Seniors (65+): 24.6%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$63,136$-9,503 vs state
Mean household income	$78,647
Per-capita income	$35,913
Poverty rate	12.0%+4.3% vs state
Unemployment rate	0.6%
Employment-to-population	56.5%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

23.9%

Agriculture

11.2%

Construction

10.0%

Manufacturing

9.7%

Public administration

8.1%

Arts, entertainment & food

7.1%

Finance & real estate

6.5%

Information

4.1%

The largest employment sector in Clay County is professional & business services, accounting for 23.9% of workers.

How residents commute

0.1%

Drive alone

1.6%

Carpool

78.1%

Public transit

7.6%

Work from home

23.2 min

Avg commute

Housing

$149,600$-53,800 vs state

Median home value

$911

Median rent

73.2%

Homeownership rate

3,940

Total housing units

92.1%

Occupied

7.9%

Vacant

26.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.4%

With health insurance

88.2%

With broadband internet

25.1%

Foreign-born

16.6%

Veterans (18+)

18.3%

With a disability

98.0%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

93.2%

High School+

23.4%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Kansas

Wichita (396,488)Overland Park (197,199)Kansas City (154,776)Olathe (143,720)Topeka (126,103)Lawrence (95,459)Shawnee (68,175)Lenexa (57,986)Manhattan (53,951)Salina (46,432)All Kansas cities →

Other counties in Kansas

Johnson County (614,764)Sedgwick County (524,810)Shawnee County (178,315)Wyandotte County (167,277)Douglas County (119,547)Leavenworth County (82,493)Riley County (71,710)Butler County (67,916)Reno County (61,693)Saline County (53,801)All Kansas counties →

Part of Kansas

Kansas demographic profile All Kansas data →

Metro areas in Kansas

Kansas City (2,202,006)Wichita (648,935)Topeka (232,724)Joplin (202,258)Manhattan (133,413)St. Joseph (120,609)Lawrence (119,547)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Clay County, Kansas has a population of 8,071 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 47th-largest county in Kansas. Population density is 13 people per square mile.

The population of Clay County has declined 6.7% since 2010 (8,544 → 7,969), a -0.50% annualized rate.

The median household income in Clay County, Kansas is $63,136, with mean (average) household income of $78,647 and per-capita income of $35,913. 12.0% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Clay County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (94.3%), Black or African American (2.3%), Hispanic or Latino (1.3%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Clay County, Kansas is 43.1 years. Residents are 49.7% female and 50.3% male.

The median home value in Clay County is $149,600 and median monthly rent is $911. 73.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 3,940 total housing units, 7.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Clay County, Kansas is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 23.9% of workers. The unemployment rate is 0.6%.

Wichita is among the largest cities associated with Clay County, Kansas, with a population of 396,488.