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2020 Census: add

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{{short description|County in Missouri, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
| county = Clay County
| flag = File:Clay County, Missouri Flag.png
| state = Missouri
| founded date = January 2
| founded year = 1822
| named for = [[Henry Clay]]
| seat wl = Liberty
| largest city wl = Kansas City
| area_total_sq_mi = 409
| area_land_sq_mi = 397
| area_water_sq_mi = 11
| area percentage = 2.8
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_total = 253335 {{gain}}
| pop_est_as_of = 2024
| population_est =
| density_sq_mi = 620
| time zone = Central
| web = https://www.claycountymo.gov/
| ex image = Clay County Missouri Courthouse 20191027-7046.jpg
| ex image cap = South side of the Clay County Courthouse (designed by [[Wight and Wight]]) in Liberty
| district = 5th
| district2 = 6th
}}

'''Clay County''' is located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Missouri]] and is part of the [[Kansas City metropolitan area]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county had a population of 253,335,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US29047|access-date=December 27, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> making it the fifth-most populous county in Missouri. Its [[county seat]] is [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfAuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA277 | title=How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named | publisher=The State Historical Society of Missouri | author=Eaton, David Wolfe | year=1916 | pages=277}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA83 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=83}}</ref> Clay County contains many of the area's northern [[suburb]]s, along with a portion of the city of [[Kansas City, Missouri]]. It also owns and operates the Midwest National Air Center in [[Excelsior Springs, Missouri|Excelsior Springs]].

==History==
Clay County was settled primarily from migrants from the [[Upper South]]ern states of [[Kentucky]], [[Tennessee]], and [[Virginia]]. They brought [[Slavery in the United States|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 (Missouri)|Little Dixie]]. In 1860, enslaved persons made up 25% or more of the county's population.<ref>T. J. Stiles, ''Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War'', New York: Vintage Books, 2003, pp.10-11</ref>

The 1828 execution of [[Annice (slave)|Annice]], a slave owned by Jeremiah Prior, was the first to occur in Clay County.<ref>"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." [http://genealogytrails.com/mo/clay/hist_county.htm County History: Clay County, Missouri]. Retrieved November 23, 2017.</ref> She was also the first female slave executed in the state of Missouri.<ref name=f1>{{cite book |last=Frazier|first=Harriet C.|date=2001|title=Slavery and Crime in Missouri, 1773-1865|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCwC9JMUh2EC|publisher=McFarland|page=170|isbn=9780786409778}}</ref>

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.<ref>Jenson, Andrew. ''Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints'' (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1941) p. 144-145</ref> Leaders of this church, most notably [[Joseph Smith]], were imprisoned for some months in Clay County in the [[Liberty Jail|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kansas-city-missouri-temple/ |title=Kansas City Missouri LDS (Mormon) Temple |publisher=Ldschurchtemples.com |access-date=July 10, 2013 }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|409|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|397|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|11|sqmi}} (2.8%) is covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021170230/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_29.txt |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 21, 2013 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=November 14, 2014 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files }}</ref> It is the fourth-smallest county in Missouri by area.

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Clinton County, Missouri|Clinton County]] (north)
*[[Ray County, Missouri|Ray County]] (east)
*[[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]] (south)
*[[Wyandotte County, Kansas]] (southwest)
*[[Platte County, Missouri|Platte County]] (west)

===Major highways===
*{{jct|state=MO|I|29}}
*{{jct|state=MO|I|35}}
*{{jct|state=MO|I|435}}
*{{jct|state=MO|US|69}}
*{{jct|state=MO|US|71}}
*{{jct|state=MO|US|169}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|1}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|9}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|10}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|33}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|92}}
*{{jct|state=MO|CKC}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|152}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|283}}
*{{jct|state=MO|Route|291}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1830= 5338
|1840= 8283
|1850= 10382
|1860= 13023
|1870= 15564
|1880= 15571
|1890= 19856
|1900= 18903
|1910= 20302
|1920= 20455
|1930= 26811
|1940= 30417
|1950= 45221
|1960= 87474
|1970= 123322
|1980= 136488
|1990= 153411
|2000= 184006
|2010= 221939
|2020= 253335
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> 1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=November 14, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mo190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> 1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2019<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29047.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625060629/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/29/29047.html|archive-date=June 25, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2010, 221,939 people, 72,558 households, and 50,137 families resided in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|558|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. The 93,918 housing units averaged {{convert|236|/mi2|/km2}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|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. As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, 23.3% were of [[German people|German]], 14.5% American, 11.0% [[English people|English]], 10.8% [[Irish people|Irish]], and 5.6% [[Italian people|Italian]] ancestry.

Of the 72,558 households, 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were [[Marriage|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.

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.

In 2015 the median income for a household in Clay County was $62,099. The income per capita in Clay county was $29,793.
<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/claycountymissouri/PST045216 |title=Archived copy |access-date=October 21, 2017 |archive-date=December 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207061110/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/claycountymissouri/PST045216 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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.

Registered voters number 151,042.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/registeredvoters.asp?rvmID=0008|title=Registered Voters in Missouri|first=Missouri Secretary of State -|last=IT|website=www.sos.mo.gov|access-date=March 21, 2018}}</ref>

===2020 Census===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Clay County, Missouri – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''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<ref name=1980Census>{{Cite web|title=1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - Missouri- Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980 |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1980/volume-1/missouri/1980a_moabc-02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|page=20-25}}</ref>
!Pop 1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Missouri: Table 5 - Race and Hispanic Origin |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-27.pdf|access-date=|page=13-63}}</ref>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Clay County, Missouri|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US29047&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Missouri|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US29047&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Missouri|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US29047&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|4,311,598
|4,448,465
|166,445
|186,611
|style='background: #ffffe6; |193,282
|87.69%
|86.93%
|90.46%
|84.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |76.30%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|510,885
|545,527
|4,794
|11,220
|style='background: #ffffe6; |17,853
|10.39%
|10.66%
|2.61%
|5.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.05%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|12,310
|18,873
|798
|1,015
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,009
|0.25%
|0.37%
|0.43%
|0.46%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.40%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|23,088
|40,087
|2,456
|4,503
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6,059
|0.47%
|0.78%
|1.33%
|2.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.39%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref>
|x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref>
|155
|549
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,004
|x
|x
|0.08%
|0.25%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.40%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|7,152
|2,419
|181
|272
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,012
|0.15%
|0.05%
|0.10%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.40%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref>
|x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref>
|2,583
|4,668
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14,266
|x
|x
|1.40%
|2.10%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.63%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|51,653
|61,702
|6,594
|13,101
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18,850
|1.05%
|1.21%
|3.58%
|5.90%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.44%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,916,686'''
|'''5,117,073'''
|'''184,006'''
|'''221,939'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''253,335 '''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

==Education==
School districts include:<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29047_clay/DC20SD_C29047.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clay County, MO|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=January 12, 2021|accessdate=September 9, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st29_mo/schooldistrict_maps/c29047_clay/DC20SD_C29047_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

K-12:
{{div col}}
* [[Excelsior Springs 40 School District]]
* [[Kearney R-I School District]]
* [[Lawson R-XIV School District]]
* [[Liberty 53 School District]]
* [[North Kansas City 74 School District]]
* [[Platte County R-III School District]]
* [[Clinton County R-III School District]]
* [[Smithville R-II School District]]
{{div col end}}

Elementary-only district:
* [[Missouri City 56 School District]]

===Public schools===
*[http://www.essd40.com/ Excelsior Springs School District No. 40] – [[Excelsior Springs, Missouri|Excelsior Springs]]
**Lewis Elementary School (PK–5)
**Cornerstone Elementary School (K–5)
**Elkhorn Elementary School (K-5)
**Excelsior Springs Middle School (6–8)
**Excelsior Springs High School (9–12)
**Excelsior Springs Technical High School (12) – Alternative/Technical School
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141020194648/http://www.kearney.k12.mo.us/ Kearney R-I School District] – [[Kearney, Missouri|Kearney]]
**Dogwood Elementary School (K–5)
**Hawthorne Elementary School (K–5)
**Kearney Elementary School (K–5)
**Southview Elementary School (K–5)
**Kearney Middle School (6–7)
**Kearney Junior High School (8–9)
**Kearney High School (10–12)
*[http://liberty.k12.mo.us/ Liberty School District No. 53] – [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]]
**Liberty Early Childhood Education Center (PreK)
**Alexander Doniphan Elementary School (K–5)
**Franklin Elementary School (K–5)
**Kellybrook Elementary School (K–5) – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]
**Lewis & Clark Elementary School (K–5)
**Liberty Oaks Elementary School (K–5) – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]
**Lillian Schumacher Elementary School (K–5)
**Manor Hill Elementary School (K–5)
**Ridgeview Elementary School (K–5)
**Shoal Creek Elementary School (K–5)
**Warren Hills Elementary School (K–5)
**Liberty Middle School (6–8)
**South Valley Middle School (6–8)
**Heritage Middle School (6–8)
**Discovery Middle School (6–8)
**[[Liberty High School (Liberty, Missouri)|Liberty High School]] (9–12)
**[[Liberty North High School]] (9–12)
*[http://www.mocity.k12.mo.us/ Missouri City School District No. 56] – [[Missouri City, Missouri|Missouri City]]
**Missouri City Elementary School (K–8)
*[http://www.nkcschools.org/ North Kansas City School District No. 74] – [[North Kansas City, Missouri|North Kansas City]]
**Bell Prairie Elementary School (K–5)
**Briarcliff Elementary School (K–5)
**Chapel Hill Elementary School (K–5)
**Chouteu Elementary School (Pre-K–5)
**Clardy Elementary School (2–5)
**Crestview Elementary School (K–5)
**Davidson Elementary School (Pre-K–5)
**Fox Hill Elementary School (K–5)
**Gashland Elementary School (K–1)
**Gracemor Elementary School (Pre-K–5)
**Lakewood Elementary School (Pre-K–5)
**Linden West Elementary School (K–5) – [[Gladstone, Missouri|Gladstone]]
**Maplewood Elementary School (K–5)
**Meadowbrook Elementary School (K–5)
**Nashua Elementary School (K–5)
**Northview Elementary School (K–5)
**Oakwood Manor Elementary School (K–5)
**Ravenwood Elementary School (K–5)
**Rising Hill Elementary School (K-5)
**Topping Elementary School (K–5)
**West Englewood Elementary School (Pre-K–5)
**Winnwood Elementary School (Pre-K–5)
**Antioch Middle School (6–8)
**Eastgate 6th Grade Center (6)
**Gateway 6th Grade Center (6)
**Maple Park Middle School (6–8)
**New Mark Middle School (6–8)
**Northgate Middle School (6–8)
**[[North Kansas City High School]] (9–12)
**[[Oak Park High School (Kansas City)]] (9–12)
**[[Staley High School]] (9–12)
**[[Winnetonka High School]] (9–12)
*[http://www.smithvilleschooldistrict.net/ Smithville R-II School District] – [[Smithville, Missouri|Smithville]]
**Smithville Maple Elementary School (Pre-K–6)
**Smithville Horizon Elementary School (Pre-K-6)
**Smithville Eagle Heights Elementary School (Pre-K-6)
**Smithville Middle School (7–8)
**[[Smithville High School (Missouri)|Smithville High School]] (9–12)

===Private schools===
*Northland Christian School - [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (Preschool-12) - Independent Christian
*[https://kaloskc.com Kalos Christian Academy] - [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (K–12) - [[Nondenominational Christian]]
*Outreach Christian Early Education Center – [[Avondale, Missouri|Avondale]] (Pre-K–12) – [[Nondenominational Christian]]
*Oakhill Day School – [[Gladstone, Missouri|Gladstone]] (Pre-K–7) – Nonsectarian – (Special Programs Emphasis)
*St. Andrew the Apostle Parish School – [[Gladstone, Missouri|Gladstone]] (K–9) – [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
*Northern Hills Christian Academy – [[Holt, Missouri|Holt]] (K–9) – [[Baptist]]
*Prairie Church School – [[Holt, Missouri|Holt]] (K–6)
*Covenant Memorial Baptist Day School – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (K) – [[Baptist]]
*Eagle Heights Christian School – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (Pre-K–12) – [[Baptist]]
*Faith Academy – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (Pre-K–12) – [[Nondenominational Christian]]
*[https://www.refinekcschool.com Refine KC School] - Kansas City (K-12)
*St. Charles Borromeo School – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (K–9) – [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
*St. Gabriel Catholic School –[[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (K–9) – [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
*St. Patrick School – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (NS/Pre-K–8) – [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
*[https://spxkc.org St. Pius X High Schoo] l – [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (9–12) – [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
*Liberty Montessori Center – [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]] (K–1) – [[Montessori]]
*St. James School – [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]] (K–9) – [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]

===Postsecondary===
*Maple Woods :: [[Metropolitan Community College (Missouri)|Metropolitan Community College]]—Kansas City—A public, two-year Liberal Arts college
**MCC has a service area that includes all of the county, though only the portions in the Liberty and North Kansas City school districts are in the community college district's in-district taxation zone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mcckc.edu/maps/docs/MCC_Service_Area_District_Map.pdf|title=MCC SERVICE AREAS|publisher=[[Metropolitan Community College (Missouri)|Metropolitan Community College]]|access-date=2025-06-15}}</ref>
*[[William Jewell College]] – [[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]] – A private, four-year Liberal Arts college.

==Libraries, archives, museums==
===Libraries===
*[[Mid-Continent Public Library]]
*North Kansas City Public Library<ref>{{cite web | last = Breeding | first = Marshall | title = North Kansas City Public Library | publisher = Libraries.org | url = https://librarytechnology.org/library/5964 | access-date = May 8, 2017}}</ref>

===Archives===
*Clay County Archives

===Museums===
*Clay County Museum
*Jesse James Bank Museum

==Communities==
===Cities and towns===
{{Div col|colwidth=10em|rules=no}}
*[[Avondale, Missouri|Avondale]]
*[[Birmingham, Missouri|Birmingham]]
*[[Claycomo, Missouri|Claycomo]]
*[[Excelsior Estates, Missouri|Excelsior Estates]] (mostly in [[Ray County, Missouri|Ray County]])
*[[Excelsior Springs, Missouri|Excelsior Springs]] (small part in [[Ray County, Missouri|Ray County]])
*[[Gladstone, Missouri|Gladstone]]
*[[Glenaire, Missouri|Glenaire]]
*[[Holt, Missouri|Holt]] (partly in [[Clinton County, Missouri|Clinton County]])
*[[Independence, Missouri|Independence]] (mostly in [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]])
*[[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] (partly in [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson]] and [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte]] Counties and a small part in [[Cass County, Missouri|Cass County]])
*[[Kearney, Missouri|Kearney]]
*[[Lawson, Missouri|Lawson]] (partly in [[Ray County, Missouri|Ray County]])
*[[Liberty, Missouri|Liberty]] (county seat)
*[[Missouri City, Missouri|Missouri City]]
*[[Mosby, Missouri|Mosby]]
*[[North Kansas City, Missouri|North Kansas City]]
*[[Oaks, Missouri|Oaks]]
*[[Oakview, Missouri|Oakview]]
*[[Oakwood, Missouri|Oakwood]]
*[[Oakwood Park, Missouri|Oakwood Park]]
*[[Pleasant Valley, Missouri|Pleasant Valley]]
*[[Prathersville, Missouri|Prathersville]]
*[[Randolph, Missouri|Randolph]]
*[[Smithville, Missouri|Smithville]] (small part in [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte County]])
*[[Sugar Creek, Missouri|Sugar Creek]] (mostly in [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]])
{{Div col end}}

=== Census-designated place ===

* [[Paradise, Missouri|Paradise]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{Div col|colwidth=10em|rules=no}}
* [[Arley, Missouri|Arley]]
* [[Chandler, Missouri|Chandler]]
* [[Claysville, Clay County, Missouri|Claysville]]
* [[Clevenger, Missouri|Clevenger]]
* [[Ectonville, Missouri|Ectonville]]
* [[Miltondale, Missouri|Miltondale]]
* [[Roosterville, Missouri|Roosterville]]
* [[Stockdale, Missouri|Stockdale]]
* [[Winner, Missouri|Winner]]
{{div col end}}

==Notable people==
* [[Noah Beery]] (1882–1946), actor
* [[Wallace Beery]] (1885–1949), actor
* [[Obediah Summers]] (1844–1896), formerly enslaved, [[AME Church|AME]] minister, and Civil War veteran; born in Clay County<ref>{{Cite book |last=Anderson |first=Gene |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tpIECwAAQBAJ&pg=PT43 |title=Legendary Locals of Oakland |date=2015-12-07 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1-4396-5405-7 |pages=43 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="SF Chronicle-1892">{{Cite web |date=April 11, 1892 |title=Freed from Debt, Bethel Church Pays Off a Mortgage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/san-francisco-chronicle-freed-from-debt/159505746/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |language=en-US |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
* [[Frank James]] (1843–1915), outlaw, Confederate States guerrilla, and train robber; born in Clay County
* [[Jesse James]] (1847–1882), outlaw, born in Clay County
* [[John Ellis Martineau]] (1873–1937), [[Governor of Arkansas]] from 1927 to 1928, born in Clay County
* [[Jesse Sexton]] (1885–1948), state senator 1936 to 1948

==Politics==
Clay County, like the rest of Missouri, has swung to the [[Republican Party (United States)|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%.

{{PresHead|place=Clay County, Missouri|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 21, 2018}}</ref>}}

{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|1,103|3,628|146|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|738|3,085|589|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|924|4,071|67|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|921|3,585|90|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|1,077|2,832|124|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,166|3,513|56|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|592|3,417|737|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,307|3,902|55|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|2,804|6,283|31|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|2,998|6,076|385|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|5,584|5,574|27|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,117|9,398|97|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|4,491|9,535|58|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|6,159|9,672|30|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|6,724|8,682|40|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|6,408|11,855|41|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|13,043|12,502|53|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|13,436|13,605|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|18,955|17,318|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|13,997|23,993|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|19,643|17,547|6,972|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|33,017|14,538|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|24,962|26,609|744|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|28,521|24,250|3,543|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|36,529|22,586|0|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|30,293|29,620|357|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|23,798|30,565|21,415|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|28,935|32,603|7,609|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|39,083|39,084|2,006|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|51,193|44,670|597|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|54,516|53,761|1,748|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|56,191|47,310|2,542|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|57,476|45,304|8,390|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|64,605|59,400|2,564|Missouri}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|67,688|60,345|2,756|Missouri}}
{{PresFoot}}

==See also==
* [[List of counties in Missouri]]
* [[Mormon War (1838)]]
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Clay County, Missouri]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Woodson, W.H. ''History of Clay County, Missouri'' (1920) [http://digital.library.umsystem.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?sid=2eb3977dac6e01be233d3e8ddf7526ca;g=;c=umlib;idno=umls000017 online]{{Dead link|date=June 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

==External links==
{{coord|39.31|-94.42|format=dms|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MO_source:UScensus1990}}
*[http://www.claycogov.com/ Clay County government's website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227160533/http://www.claycogov.com/ |date=February 27, 2007 }}
*[http://www.clayedc.com/ Clay County Economic Development Council website]
* [http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/platbooks.htm Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Clay County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816173126/http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/platbooks.htm |date=August 16, 2011 }} from [[University of Missouri]] Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books
* [https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/historic-sites/missouri?lang=eng Missouri Historical Sites] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102080535/https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/historic-sites/missouri?lang=eng |date=November 2, 2020 }}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre = Clay County, Missouri
|North = [[Clinton County, Missouri|Clinton County]]
|Northeast =
|East = [[Ray County, Missouri|Ray County]]
|Southeast =
|South = [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]]
|Southwest = [[Wyandotte County, Kansas]]
|West = [[Platte County, Missouri|Platte County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Kansas City MSA}}
{{Clay County, Missouri}}
{{Missouri}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Clay County, Missouri| ]]
[[Category:Little Dixie (Missouri)]]
[[Category:Missouri counties]]
[[Category:1822 establishments in Missouri]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1822]]
[[Category:Missouri counties on the Missouri River]]

Clay County, Missouri - Revision history

imported>Patapsco913: /* 2020 Census */ add