Clay County, Missouri 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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B
Clay County Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $87,903 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $60,990 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.6% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.2% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 24% higher than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Clay County (4.1%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 14% of adults in Clay County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Missouri average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Clay County, Missouri grew by 51.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $87,903 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.507 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $71,056 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $57,587 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.0% | 20.6% | 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 0.507, lower than Missouri's 0.532, 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 23% more than women's income in Clay County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $471,415 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, Missouri has narrowed from about 26% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $657 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.9% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 5,308 people are unemployed in Clay County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Clay County is 20 minutes, about the same as in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, Missouri has fallen from 5.9% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.8% in 2013.
Clay County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, MO is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 258,122 residents against a local median of 110,371. Where Clay County, MO breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 24% above the local median of $71,052 at $87,903. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $31,915 on median household income, so Clay County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, MO has the 2nd highest median household income 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, MO | 258,122 | $87,903 #2/6 | 4.1%/yr #4/6 | 3.8% #4/6 | 0.507 #1/6 |
| Clinton County, MO | 21,414 | $71,052 | 2.6%/yr | 3.0% | 0.516 |
| Jackson County, MO | 719,648 | $68,888 | 4.5%/yr | 4.6% | 0.521 |
| Platte County, MO | 110,371 | $96,388 | 3.8%/yr | 2.7% | 0.512 |
| Wyandotte County, KS | 167,620 | $64,473 | 5.9%/yr | 5.7% | 0.518 |
| Ray County, MO | 23,145 | $74,607 | 4.1%/yr | 3.4% | 0.517 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, Missouri has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Missouri, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clay County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Clay County, Missouri?
Clay County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $87,903, about 24% higher than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How has median household income changed in Clay County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, Missouri rose 51%, from $58,212 to $87,903. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Missouri as a whole: +51% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, Missouri was $86,024, up 5% from $82,212 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, Missouri was $72,188. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $87,903.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.507. 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, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Missouri has narrowed from about 26% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $657 since 2009.
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