City profile · Kansas · Census ACS 2023

Clay Center, KS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Clay Center - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,148
Residents
$56,422
Median income
$133,600
Median home
$950
Median rent (state)

Clay Center - the verdict

Clay Center ranks in the 30th percentile for household income and the 53rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

30th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
53rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Clay Center, KS

4,148 people live in Clay Center, Kansas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Clay Center households earn a median of $56,422 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.1%. Home values in Clay Center run a median of $133,600, and the median resident age is 42.1 years. 17.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 48.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 9 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 200% from five years earlier. Clay Center reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1280.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Kansas run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Kansas at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $950 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kansas's average monthly utility costs around $217 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 16.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

4,148 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kansas

Median Household Income

$56,422 /yr

Poverty 15.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kansas average

How does Clay Center compare to other US cities?

Where Clay Center sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 53% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kansas alone, Clay Center ranks #46 of 109 Kansas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Clay Center's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

30thIncome percentile
53rdSafety percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income · 53rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Clay Center's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Clay Center's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Clay Center's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Clay Center's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$133,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Clay Center $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Clay Center, KS Clay Center, KS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Clay Center, KS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Clay Center, KS median $56,422/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Clay Center, KS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Clay Center, KS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,148
Median Income
$56,422
Median Home Value
$133,600
Median Age
42.1
Poverty Rate
15.1%
Labor force participation
48.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1280.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
123.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1157.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,000 residents4,050 residents4,100 residents4,150 residents4,200 residents4,250 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,195 residents 4,061 residents ▼ -3.2%
Clay Center's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 0
2021 0
2022 5
2023 2
2024 9

Permit volume increased 200% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
84.2%
Carpool
6.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
6.6%
Other
1.5%

Based on 1,580 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$217
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Clay Center sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$950/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
16.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kansas

Fairway
4,177 people
Wamego
4,205 people
Hugoton
4,065 people
Osawatomie
4,244 people
Russell
4,258 people
Scott City
3,955 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Clay Center's 4,148 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Roosevelt Park, MI
4,148 people
Dawsonville, GA
4,147 people
Georgetown, OH
4,147 people
Linden, MI
4,150 people
Rosemont, IL
4,145 people
Jacksboro, TX
4,151 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Clay Center's $56,422 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Beebe, AR
$56,424 median income
White Sulphur Springs, MT
$56,424 median income
Grove City, PA
$56,420 median income
Oxford, NY
$56,417 median income
Guernsey, WY
$56,417 median income
Steen, MN
$56,429 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Clay Center, KS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Clay Center, KS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.6% White 94.8% Black or African American 4.2% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Clay Center compares to nearby Kansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Clay Center (this city) 4,148 $56,422
Fairway 4,177 $159,821
Wamego 4,205 $82,756
Hugoton 4,065 $60,437
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KS FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Clay Center, KS?

What is the population of Clay Center, KS? +

Clay Center, KS counts 4,148 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Clay Center, KS? +

In Clay Center, the typical household earns $56,422 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Clay Center? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Clay Center; the closest available measure is the Kansas state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kansas vary by metro area.

Is Clay Center, KS safe? +

Clay Center has a total crime rate of 1280.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Clay Center, KS? +

The median home value in Clay Center is $133,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.