The Town FilesClay Center, Kansas
City in Clay County · population 4,199 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $143,600
- Household income
- $62,695
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 42.3
Clay Center is a city of 4,199 people in Clay County, Kansas. The median home is worth $143,600, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks hipper than 93% of Kansas towns, more walkable than 83% of Kansas towns, more of a college town than 80% of Kansas towns.
How Clay Center ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Clay Center is worth $143,600, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $62,695, which is more affordable than 43% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $983 a month. 66.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clay Center | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,600 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $983 | $815 |
| Median household income | $62,695 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 66.3% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in Clay Center
| People | Clay Center | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 15.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Clay Center
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 31.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.8 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clay Center since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 25, 1973 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 31 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 9, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 102 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 15, 2012.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
| June 20, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4449: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides |
| October 19, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4403: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 2,926 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,138 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Clay Center itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Public schools in Clay Center
4 public schools with 1,114 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Elem | PK-3 | 384 | 13.2 |
| Clay Center Community High | 9-12 | 343 | 15.6 |
| Clay Center Community Middle | 6-8 | 241 | 11.0 |
| Garfield Elem | 4-5 | 146 | 12.2 |
Towns near Clay Center
- Fort Riley, KS25.4 mi · 9,230 people · home —
- Junction City, KS28.5 mi · 22,932 people · home $171,500
Clay Center questions
Is Clay Center, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clay Center scores better for retirees than 71% of Kansas towns and quieter than 18%. 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Clay Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Clay Center is valued at $143,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,695, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $983 a month.
What is the weather like in Clay Center?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.8 inches of snow.
Does Clay Center get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clay Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 25, 1973. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)