What is the largest city in Clay County, MO?

Liberty is the largest city or town in Clay County, with about 30,689 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Clay County?

Clay County includes 18 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 64024, 64048, 64060, 64068, 64072.

What is the population of Clay County, MO?

About 258,122 people live in Clay County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Clay County?

Clay County borders Jackson County, Wyandotte County, KS, Platte County, Ray County, Clinton County.

Clay County, MO: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

258,122

Land area

398sq mi

People per sq mi

649

ZIP codes

18

Clay County at a glance

Clay County is about 7.2 times as dense as Missouri as a whole.
By population, it ranks 6th among 115 counties in Missouri.
The median household income is $88,468, 25% above the Missouri median of $70,702.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $275,600 (20% above Missouri) and median rent is $1,243 a month.
Its largest cities are Liberty (30,689), Gladstone (27,207) and Kearney (10,885).

Local data for Clay County, MO

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Clay County, MO, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$88,468

Poverty rate

8.5%

Median home value

$275,600

Prices +1.8% in a year

Median rent

$1,243/mo

Homeownership

69.5%

Bachelor's or higher

36.5%

Median age

37.9

Average commute

22.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (53,047), Irish Americans (32,831), Mexican Americans (12,931).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

3.3%

Aug 2026, -0.4 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$64,860

110,830 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$62,130

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1.46B

FY 2026, $5,752 per person

PPP loans

$488M

6,315 loans, 56,058 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$1.37M

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Clay County, MO, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone74.8%
Carpooled6.9%
Public transit0.2%
Walked0.9%
Bicycle0.1%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.3%
Worked from home15.9%

Average one-way commute: 22.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Clay County, MO, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: cold wave

Storm events since 1996

907

Most often hail

Flood insurance policies

258

0.3% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

88° / 17°F

41.2 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 30 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Clay County, MO, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

37.4%

U.S. 33.3% +4.1 pts

Diabetes

10.8%

U.S. 12.1% -1.3 pts

Smoking

14.2%

U.S. 12.8% +1.4 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.0%

U.S. 11.1% -3.1 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Clay County

Population shown

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Clay County, MO?: Liberty is the largest city or town in Clay County, with about 30,689 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Clay County?: Clay County includes 18 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 64024, 64048, 64060, 64068, 64072.
What is the population of Clay County, MO?: About 258,122 people live in Clay County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Clay County?: Clay County borders Jackson County, Wyandotte County, KS, Platte County, Ray County, Clinton County.