Clay County, Kansas Income Statistics
Clay County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Clay County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $65,917 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,138 | $56,052 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.3% | 11.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.6% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 11% lower than in Kansas. Income has been growing slower in Clay County (2.8%/yr) than in Kansas (4.1%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Clay County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kansas average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clay County, Kansas grew by 70.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $65,917 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.494 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $67,377 | $65,134 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,016 | $51,314 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 34.7% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Clay County, it is 0.494, lower than Kansas's 0.525, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 53% more than women's income in Clay County, Kansas. Over a 35-year career, a 53% wage gap accumulates to roughly $817,635 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Kansas has widened from about 28% to 35% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2017, and was narrowest at 26% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,101 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Clay County widened by 6.6 points while Kansas's narrowed by 3.4 points.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.0% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.2% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 17 | 22 |
Approximately 38 people are unemployed in Clay County, Kansas.
The average commute time in Clay County is 17 minutes, about the same as in Kansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, Kansas has fallen from 2.4% to 1.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 3.2% in 2017.
Clay County, KS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, KS is typical in size for this group, 8,048 residents against a local median of 8,898, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Clay County, KS breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 63% below the local median of 2.7% at 1.0%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.8%/yr against a local median of 4.4%/yr, 36% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Clay County, KS is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.1% on unemployment, so Clay County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, KS has the lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, KS | 8,048 | $65,917 #3/6 | 2.8%/yr #6/6 | 1.0% #1/6 | 0.494 #4/6 |
| Riley County, KS | 71,946 | $62,250 | 3.6%/yr | 3.2% | 0.543 |
| Washington County, KS | 5,533 | $65,022 | 4.3%/yr | 1.1% | 0.477 |
| Dickinson County, KS | 18,445 | $68,608 | 4.6%/yr | 2.7% | 0.475 |
| Cloud County, KS | 8,898 | $58,107 | 4.4%/yr | 2.5% | 0.473 |
| Ottawa County, KS | 5,819 | $73,981 | 4.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.511 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, Kansas has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Kansas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clay County, Kansas.
How Rich Is Clay County, Kansas?
Clay County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $65,917, about 11% lower than the Kansas average of $74,287.
Are incomes growing in Clay County, Kansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, Kansas rose 70%, from $38,720 to $65,917. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kansas as a whole: +70% against +53%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, Kansas was $63,013, up 9% from $58,004 in 2022. The Kansas median that year was $72,660.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, Kansas was $49,375. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $65,917.
Is it hard to find a job in Clay County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Clay County, Kansas is only 1.0%, well below the Kansas rate of 3.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, Kansas?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.494. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Clay County, Kansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Kansas has widened from about 28% to 35% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2017, and was narrowest at 26% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,101 since 2009.
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