Clay County, Kansas

Clay County (county code CY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, 8,117 people lived there.^[1] Its county seat and the city with the most people is Clay Center.^[2]

Clay County
County
Clay County Courthouse in Clay Center (2006)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°21′N 97°10′W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 20, 1857
Named for	Henry Clay
Seat	Clay Center
Largest city	Clay Center
Area
• Total	656 sq mi (1,700 km2)
• Land	645 sq mi (1,670 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  1.6%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	8,117
• Density	12.6/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	ClayCountyKansas.org

History

On February 20, 1857, Clay County was created. It was named in honor of the famous American statesman Henry Clay.^[3] Clay was a member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 656 square miles (1,700 km²). Of that, 645 square miles (1,670 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (1.6%) is water.^[4]

Bordering counties

• Washington County (north)
• Riley County (east)
• Geary County (southeast)
• Dickinson County (south)
• Ottawa County (southwest)
• Cloud County (west)

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas,^[5] U.S. Census Bureau^[6]

• U.S. Route 24
• Kansas Highway 15
• Kansas Highway 82

People

Census	Pop.		%±
1860	163		—
1870	2,942		1,704.9%
1880	12,320		318.8%
1890	16,146		31.1%
1900	15,833		−1.9%
1910	15,251		−3.7%
1920	14,365		−5.8%
1930	14,556		1.3%
1940	13,281		−8.8%
1950	11,697		−11.9%
1960	10,675		−8.7%
1970	9,890		−7.4%
1980	9,802		−0.9%
1990	9,158		−6.6%
2000	8,822		−3.7%
2010	8,535		−3.3%
2020	8,117		−4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]

Population pyramid

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential Elections Results^[11]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	76.0% 3,177	21.4% 894	2.7% 111
2016	75.7% 2,891	17.7% 677	6.6% 252
2012	75.6% 2,788	22.6% 834	1.7% 64
2008	74.0% 2,998	24.9% 1,009	1.2% 47
2004	79.2% 3,174	19.8% 793	1.1% 43
2000	73.3% 2,998	23.3% 951	3.4% 139
1996	66.9% 2,793	23.1% 963	10.1% 421
1992	47.9% 2,198	20.6% 947	31.5% 1,445
1988	72.1% 2,997	26.8% 1,112	1.2% 48
1984	78.8% 3,559	20.3% 919	0.9% 41
1980	73.9% 3,449	20.0% 932	6.1% 286
1976	63.9% 3,085	33.3% 1,610	2.8% 137
1972	78.4% 3,562	19.5% 887	2.0% 93
1968	72.0% 3,335	20.0% 926	8.1% 374
1964	62.2% 3,030	37.1% 1,806	0.8% 37
1960	75.3% 3,937	23.8% 1,246	0.8% 43
1956	80.2% 4,378	18.9% 1,034	0.9% 49
1952	84.9% 5,059	13.9% 831	1.2% 71
1948	65.9% 3,763	31.6% 1,804	2.5% 144
1944	74.0% 4,101	25.1% 1,391	0.9% 49
1940	68.7% 4,699	30.2% 2,067	1.0% 70
1936	50.5% 3,525	49.3% 3,441	0.3% 21
1932	47.3% 3,115	49.9% 3,289	2.8% 187
1928	73.7% 4,457	25.1% 1,515	1.2% 72
1924	62.9% 3,767	23.7% 1,417	13.4% 802
1920	72.7% 3,521	23.8% 1,155	3.5% 168
1916	47.7% 2,692	46.6% 2,632	5.7% 320
1912	22.7% 843	37.0% 1,373	40.4%1,499[lower-alpha 1]
1908	53.0% 1,858	42.6% 1,495	4.4% 155
1904	68.6% 2,262	12.2% 403	19.2% 634
1900	51.5% 2,001	47.0% 1,826	1.6% 61
1896	45.6% 1,655	53.1% 1,929	1.4% 49
1892	43.8% 1,666		56.2% 2,149
1888	50.8% 1,914	24.4% 920	24.8% 934

Presidential Elections Results

Education

Unified school districts

• Clay County USD 379, in Clay Center

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Clay County (map legend)

Cities

• Clay Center
• Wakefield
• Clifton (partly in Washington County)
• Morganville
• Green
• Longford
• Vining (partly in Washington County)
• Oak Hill

Unincorporated communities

• Athelstane
• Bateham
• Broughton
• Browndale
• Exeter
• Fact
• Fancy Creek
• Garfield Center
• Gatesville
• Idana
• Industry
• Ladysmith
• Northern (no longer exists)
• Republican City

Ghost towns

• Broughton, razed when Milford Lake was built

Townships

Clay County is divided into eighteen townships. The city of Clay Center is considered governmentally independent and is not included from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

Sources: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau; Census Data Explorer from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population (2020)	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Athelstane	02950		106	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°10′27″N 97°12′16″W
Blaine	07050		214	2 (5)	109 (42)	1 (0)	0.94%	39°20′39″N 97°11′5″W
Bloom	07325		161	1 (3)	122 (47)	1 (0)	0.53%	39°26′5″N 97°18′8″W
Chapman	12525	Longford	175	2 (5)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.09%	39°10′4″N 97°18′41″W
Clay Center	13650		384	4 (10)	97 (38)	1 (0)	1.46%	39°22′12″N 97°9′17″W
Exeter	22100		60	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°16′10″N 97°12′13″W
Five Creeks	23475		118	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°21′8″N 97°18′41″W
Garfield	25500		91	1 (3)	91 (35)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°31′23″N 97°7′37″W
Gill	26250		146	2 (5)	78 (30)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°11′0″N 97°6′1″W
Goshen	27025		41	0 (1)	91 (35)	0 (0)	0%	39°31′16″N 97°0′51″W
Grant	27500		171	2 (6)	76 (29)	13 (5)	14.83%	39°16′27″N 96°59′20″W
Hayes	30875		184	2 (5)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0%	39°26′42″N 97°4′53″W
Highland	31825	Green	254	3 (7)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°24′58″N 96°59′20″W
Mulberry	49000	Clifton (part)	278	3 (7)	98 (38)	2 (1)	1.99%	39°31′11″N 97°18′13″W
Oakland	51725		104	1 (3)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°16′34″N 97°18′2″W
Republican	59025	Wakefield	1,068	14 (37)	76 (29)	8 (3)	12.46%	39°11′3″N 97°0′44″W
Sherman	64850	Morganville	235	3 (7)	86 (33)	1 (0)	1.00%	39°29′58″N 97°12′15″W
Union	72075		128	1 (4)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.38%	39°15′25″N 97°6′3″W

Related pages

• List of counties in Kansas

More reading

• Standard Atlas of Clay County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 71 pages; 1918.
• Standard Atlas of Clay County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 65 pages; 1900.
• Historical Plat Book of Clay County, Kansas; Bird & Mickle Map Co; 88 pages; 1881.

Notes

1. This total comprises 1,250 votes for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt and 249 for Socialist Eugene Debs.

References

1. "QuickFacts: Clay County, Kansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 83.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
5. National Atlas Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
6. U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
11. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

Other websites

County

• Clay County - Official website
• Clay County - Directory of Public Officials

Historical

• Clay County Kansas AHGP

Maps

• Clay County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society