Clay County Kansas Courthouse · Unknown professional photographer paid by the Clay County Commissioners / CC BY-SA 4.0Clay Center Carnegie Library · Unknown professional photographer paid by the Clay County Commissioners / CC BY-SA 4.0
Clay Center is a small town of 4,154 in Kansas, with a median household income of $53,208
and a 1.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Clay Center stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Clay Center is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Clay Center city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.8
Clay Center's overall cost of living index is 87.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Clay Center costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Clay Center, KS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$120,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$737
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
59.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$53,208
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Clay Center's violent crime rate is 123.1 per 100,000 residents
— 68% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
123.1 /100k
Property Crime
1157.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Clay Center is served primarily by Clay County.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.3:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Clay Center, KS
National Avg
School District
Clay County
—
Elementary Schools
3
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
2
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.3:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
24.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
93.2%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Clay Center sees average highs of 38.7°F in January
and 91.1°F in July,
with 31.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 10.8 inches of snow per year.
Clay Center's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Clay Center roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $120,000 and median rent is $737/month.
Clay Center's violent crime rate is 123.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1157.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Clay Center are operated by Clay County.
The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.3:1. 24.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Clay Center, KS has a population of 4,154, a median household income of $53,208, and an unemployment rate of 1.5%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Clay Center averages 38.7°F in January and 91.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 31.8 inches
with about 10.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Clay Center, KS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 67432.
The population of Clay Center, Kansas is 4,154 with a median age of 42.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Clay Center: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $120,000, median household income $53,208, crime index 41 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clay Center side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
