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Clay County, Missouri

Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 184,006. Its county seat is Liberty. The county was organized in 1822 and was named in honor of U.S. Representative Henry Clay from Kentucky, later member of the United States Senate and United States Secretary of State.

Clay County is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area

History

Clay County was settled primarily from migrants from the Upper South states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. Clay was one of several counties settled mostly by southerners to the north and south of the Missouri River. Given their culture and traditions, this area became known as Little Dixie. In 1860 slaves made up 25 percent or more of the county's population. Residents generally supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 409 square miles (1,059 km²), of which, 396 square miles (1,027 km²) of it is land and 13 square miles (32 km²) of it (3.06%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Clinton County (north)
Ray County (east)
Jackson County (south)
Wyandotte County, Kansas (southwest)
Platte County (west)

Major highways

History

Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found refuge in Clay County in November 1833. In 1836 mobs drove the members of the church from the county.

Historical populations

In 1930 Clay county had 26,811 residents.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 184,006 people, 72,558 households, and 50,137 families residing in the county. The population density was 464 people per square mile (179/km²). There were 76,230 housing units at an average density of 192 per square mile (74/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.46% White, 2.66% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 1.35% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. 3.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.3% were of German, 14.5% American, 11.0% English, 10.8% Irish and 5.6% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 72,558 households out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 32.30% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,347, and the median income for a family was $56,772. Males had a median income of $40,148 versus $27,681 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,144. About 3.80% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.40% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.