Clay County, Missouri


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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

South side of the Clay County Courthouse (designed by Wight and Wight) in Liberty

South side of the Clay County Courthouse (designed by Wight and Wight) in Liberty

Flag of Clay County

Flag

Map of Missouri highlighting Clay County

Location within the U.S. state of Missouri

Map of the United States highlighting Missouri

Missouri's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 39°19′N 94°25′W / 39.31°N 94.42°W
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedJanuary 2, 1822
Named forHenry Clay
SeatLiberty
Largest cityKansas City
Area
 • Total409 sq mi (1,060 km2)
 • Land397 sq mi (1,030 km2)
 • Water11 sq mi (30 km2)  2.8%
Population

 (2020)

 • Total253,335
 • Density620/sq mi (240/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts5th, 6th
Websitewww.claycountymo.gov

Clay County contains many of the area's northern suburbs, along with a substantial portion of the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It also owns and operates the Midwest National Air Center in Excelsior Springs.

Clay County was settled primarily from migrants from the Upper Southern states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. They brought enslaved persons 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]

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.

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18305,338—
18408,28355.2%
185010,38225.3%
186013,02325.4%
187015,56419.5%
188015,5710.0%
189019,85627.5%
190018,903−4.8%
191020,3027.4%
192020,4550.8%
193026,81131.1%
194030,41713.4%
195045,22148.7%
196087,47493.4%
1970123,32241.0%
1980136,48810.7%
1990153,41112.4%
2000184,00619.9%
2010221,93920.6%
2020253,33514.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2019[15]

As of the census[16] of 2010, 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). 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. As of the census[17] of 2000, 23.3% were of German, 14.5% American, 11.0% English, 10.8% Irish, and 5.6% Italian ancestry.

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.

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. [18]

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.[19]

Clay County Racial Composition[20]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 193,282 76.3%
Black or African American (NH) 17,853 7.04%
Native American (NH) 1,009 0.4%
Asian (NH) 6,059 2.4%
Pacific Islander (NH) 1,004 0.4%
Other/Mixed (NH) 15,278 6.03%
Hispanic or Latino 18,850 7.44%

School districts include:[21]

K-12:

Elementary-only district:

  • Excelsior Springs School District No. 40 – 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
  • Kearney R-I School District – 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)
  • Liberty School District No. 53 – 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
    • Lewis & Clark Elementary School (K–5)
    • Liberty Oaks Elementary School (K–5) – 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 (9–12)
    • Liberty North High School (9–12)
  • Missouri City School District No. 56 – Missouri City
    • Missouri City Elementary School (K–8)
  • North Kansas City School District No. 74 – 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
    • 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)
  • Smithville R-II School District – 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 (9–12)
  • Maple Woods :: Metropolitan Community College—Kansas City—A public, two-year Liberal Arts college
  • William Jewell College – Liberty – A private, four-year Liberal Arts college.

Libraries, archives, museums

edit

  • Clay County Archives
  • Clay County Museum
  • Jesse James Bank Museum

Unincorporated communities

edit

The three-person Clay County Commission oversees the issues of Clay County. The current makeup of the commissioners is two Republicans and one Democrat.

Clay County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Tracy Baldwin Republican
Auditor Victor S. Hurlbert Republican
Circuit Clerk Lee Bucksath Republican
County Clerk Stacey L. Tingle Democrat
Collector Lydia McEvoy Republican
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Jerry Nolte Republican
Commissioner
(Eastern District)		 Megan Thompson Republican
Commissioner
(Western District)		 Jon Carpenter Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney Dan White Democratic
Public Administrator Sarah Mills Rottgers Republican
Recorder Katee Porter Republican
Sheriff Will Akin Republican
Treasurer Bob Nance Republican
Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 51.38% 64,682 46.25% 58,224 2.36% 2,972
2016 48.97% 53,883 47.65% 52,429 3.37% 3,712
2012 41.53% 43,398 55.47% 57,962 3.00% 3,138
2008 38.64% 41,518 58.95% 63,341 2.40% 2,583
2004 46.70% 44,763 51.72% 49,573 1.58% 1,520
2000 46.57% 36,983 51.31% 40,747 2.12% 1,689
1996 34.29% 23,524 63.54% 43,593 2.18% 1,493

Clay County is divided into eight legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, five of which are held by Republicans and three by Democrats.

  • District 12 — Josh Hurlbert (R— Smithville) — consists of Smithville, a part of Kansas City, and a part of Kearney.
  • District 15 — Maggie Nurrenbern (D—Kansas City) — consists of Gladstone, Oaks, Oakview, Oakwood, Oakwood Park, and a part of Kansas City.
  • District 17 — Mark Ellebracht (D— Liberty) — consists of the communities of Birmingham, Claycomo, Glenaire, a part of Kansas City, and a part of Liberty.
  • District 18 — Wes Rogers (D— Kansas City) — consists of the communities of Avondale, part of Kansas City, and North Kansas City.
  • District 38 — Doug Richey (R— Excelsior Springs) — consists of Excelsior Springs, part of Kansas City, part of Kearney, part of Liberty, Missouri City, Mosby, and Prathersville.

Clay County is divided into two districts in the Missouri Senate.

  • District 12 — Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby) – consists of the communities of Excelsior Springs, Holt, Kearney, Lawson, Missouri City, Mosby, Prathersville, and Smithville.
  • District 17 – Lauren Arthur (D-Kansas City) - consists of the communities of Avondale, Birmingham, Claycomo, Gladstone, Glenaire, Liberty, North Kansas City, Oaks, Oakview, Oakwood, Oakwood Park, Pleasant Valley, Randolph, Sugar Creek, and a part of Kansas City.

Clay County is split between the 5th and 6th congressional districts of Missouri. The southern 30% of the county is represented by Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City).

The northern 70% of the county is represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio).

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[25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 64,605 51.04% 59,400 46.93% 2,564 2.03%
2016 57,476 51.70% 45,304 40.75% 8,390 7.55%
2012 56,191 52.99% 47,310 44.61% 2,542 2.40%
2008 54,516 49.55% 53,761 48.86% 1,748 1.59%
2004 51,193 53.07% 44,670 46.31% 597 0.62%
2000 39,083 48.75% 39,084 48.75% 2,006 2.50%
1996 28,935 41.85% 32,603 47.15% 7,609 11.00%
1992 23,798 31.40% 30,565 40.33% 21,415 28.26%
1988 30,293 50.26% 29,620 49.15% 357 0.59%
1984 36,529 61.79% 22,586 38.21% 0 0.00%
1980 28,521 50.65% 24,250 43.06% 3,543 6.29%
1976 24,962 47.71% 26,609 50.86% 744 1.42%
1972 33,017 69.43% 14,538 30.57% 0 0.00%
1968 19,643 44.48% 17,547 39.73% 6,972 15.79%
1964 13,997 36.84% 23,993 63.16% 0 0.00%
1960 18,955 52.26% 17,318 47.74% 0 0.00%
1956 13,436 49.69% 13,605 50.31% 0 0.00%
1952 13,043 50.95% 12,502 48.84% 53 0.21%
1948 6,408 35.01% 11,855 64.77% 41 0.22%
1944 6,724 43.53% 8,682 56.21% 40 0.26%
1940 6,159 38.83% 9,672 60.98% 30 0.19%
1936 4,491 31.89% 9,535 67.70% 58 0.41%
1932 3,117 24.71% 9,398 74.52% 97 0.77%
1928 5,584 49.92% 5,574 49.83% 27 0.24%
1924 2,998 31.69% 6,076 64.24% 385 4.07%
1920 2,804 30.75% 6,283 68.91% 31 0.34%
1916 1,307 24.83% 3,902 74.13% 55 1.04%
1912 592 12.47% 3,417 72.00% 737 15.53%
1908 1,166 24.63% 3,513 74.19% 56 1.18%
1904 1,077 26.70% 2,832 70.22% 124 3.07%
1900 921 20.04% 3,585 78.00% 90 1.96%
1896 924 18.25% 4,071 80.42% 67 1.32%
1892 738 16.73% 3,085 69.92% 589 13.35%
1888 1,103 22.62% 3,628 74.39% 146 2.99%
  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. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  18. ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/claycountymissouri/PST045216 [dead link]
  19. ^ IT, Missouri Secretary of State -. "Registered Voters in Missouri". www.sos.mo.gov. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  20. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clay County, Missouri".
  21. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clay County, MO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 9, 2022. - Text list
  22. ^ Breeding, Marshall. "North Kansas City Public Library". Libraries.org. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Clay County 2020 Election Results" (PDF). Clay County Elections.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Clay County 2018 Election Results" (PDF). Clay County Elections.
  25. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  • Woodson, W.H. History of Clay County, Missouri (1920) online

39°19′N 94°25′W / 39.31°N 94.42°W