Clay County is a county in Kansas, United States, on the Republican River in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 8,117 at the 2020 census and covers 656 square miles (1,700 km2) centred near 39°23′N 97°08′W.
Clay Center is the county seat and largest city; its postal code is 67432. The county has 8 incorporated cities and 7 recognized unincorporated communities. Clay County is in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 20027.
Towns & Villages in Clay County
Clay County has eight incorporated cities, all small, plus a handful of unincorporated communities and mobile-home parks scattered across the county’s farmland. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Center | City · seat | — | 67432 |
| Wakefield | City | 1,024 | 67487 |
| Clifton | City | — | — |
| Morganville | City | — | 67468 |
| Green | City | — | 67447 |
| Longford | City | — | 67458 |
| Vining | City | — | — |
| Oak Hill | City | — | — |
| Idana | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Browndale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Industry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ladysmith | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Garfield Center | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Country Gardens MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hawks Landing MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
Clifton straddles the Clay–Washington county line, with the bulk of the town on the Clay County side. Oak Hill and Vining sit closest to the Riley County line in the county’s southeast corner.
ZIP Codes
- 67432 — Clay Center (also serves Idana and most rural addresses in the county’s center)
- 67487 — Wakefield
- 67458 — Longford
- 67468 — Morganville
- 67447 — Green
Clifton, Vining and Oak Hill are too small to carry their own post office and use ZIP codes assigned to neighboring towns.
Geography
Clay County sits on the rolling Smoky Hills of north-central Kansas, split by the Republican River, which flows southeast through the county before joining the Smoky Hill River at Junction City to form the Kansas River. Milford Lake, one of the state’s largest reservoirs, backs up into the county’s southeastern corner. Farmland and pasture cover most of the county outside its river valleys.
Clay County borders Washington County to the north, Riley County to the east, Geary County to the southeast, Dickinson County to the south, Ottawa County to the southwest, and Cloud County to the west.
Demographics
Clay County’s population was 8,117 at the 2020 census. Clay Center and Wakefield are the two largest communities; Wakefield had 1,024 residents in 2020, with Clay Center accounting for roughly half the county’s total. Median household income runs below the Kansas median of $70,333, typical of the state’s rural agricultural counties. Population density is about 12.6 people per square mile, among the lower densities in the region.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives Clay County’s economy — wheat, corn, soybeans and cattle ranching dominate the countryside outside Clay Center. The Keystone-Cushing pipeline system runs through the county, built out in phases including a 2010 expansion. Clay Center serves as the county’s retail, medical and government hub, with the Clay County Fair each summer drawing visitors from across north-central Kansas. Grain elevators anchor most of the county’s smaller towns, and many families outside Clay Center still farm or work land within a short drive of home.
History
Clay County was organized on February 20, 1857, and named for Henry Clay, the U.S. senator from Kentucky. The county has produced two Kansas governors: George Docking, the state’s 35th governor (1957–1961), and William H. Avery, its 37th governor (1965–1967), both of whom lived in Clay County. The county has long voted Republican; 1896, when it backed William Jennings Bryan, stands as an exception in its political history.
Getting There
US-24 crosses the county east–west and K-15 and K-82 provide north–south routes into Clay Center.
- Junction City — 20 miles southeast
- Manhattan — 30 miles east
- Salina — 35 miles southwest
- Concordia — 35 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Manhattan Regional Airport (MHK), about 35 miles east of Clay Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clay County, Kansas?
It is in north-central Kansas, on the Republican River, roughly 30 miles east of Salina and 30 miles west of Manhattan.
What is the population of Clay County?
8,117 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Clay County?
656 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 645 square miles is land and 10 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Clay County?
Clay Center is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Clay County?
Eight incorporated cities — Clay Center, Wakefield, Clifton, Morganville, Green, Longford, Vining and Oak Hill — plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Clay County?
67432 (Clay Center), 67487 (Wakefield), 67458 (Longford), 67468 (Morganville) and 67447 (Green).
What river runs through Clay County?
The Republican River crosses the county on its way to join the Smoky Hill River at Junction City.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Kansas.