Clay County vs Jefferson County
A side-by-side comparison of Clay County and Jefferson County: population, income, housing, and more.
Clay County and Jefferson County are counties in Missouri. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Clay County has the higher population (255,566 vs 228,227 in Jefferson County). Clay County has the higher median household income ($86,150 vs $80,522 in Jefferson County). Clay County has the higher median home value ($256,400 vs $218,800 in Jefferson County).
Population, income & housing
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 255,566 | 228,227 |
| Median age | 37.6 yrs | 40.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $86,150 | $80,522 |
| Median home value | $256,400 | $218,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,220 | $972 |
| Housing units | 106,689 | 93,276 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.9% | 81.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 23.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.6% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 242,516 → 255,566 (+5.4%) | 223,951 → 228,227 (+1.9%) |
| Median household income | $70,510 → $86,150 (+22.2%) | $65,454 → $80,522 (+23.0%) |
| Median home value | $174,900 → $256,400 (+46.6%) | $161,800 → $218,800 (+35.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $965 → $1,220 (+26.4%) | $855 → $972 (+13.7%) |
Clay County
242,516255,566
$70,510$86,150
$174,900$256,400
$965$1,220
Jefferson County
223,951228,227
$65,454$80,522
$161,800$218,800
$855$972
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.8% | 7.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.3% | 12.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.3% | 13.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 12.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 14.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.0% | 10.3% |
| 75 and over | 5.9% | 5.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.8% | 89.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.6% | 1.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.6% | 6.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% | 2.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.6% | 8.5% |
| High school graduate | 26.8% | 31.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.6% | 36.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.6% | 16.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.4% | 7.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 76.3% | 81.0% |
| Carpooled | 7.6% | 7.1% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 14.0% | 10.1% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 0.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 71.0% | 79.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.0% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.2% | 3.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.1% | 4.0% |
| 20 or more units | 7.0% | 1.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.7% | 9.5% |
Poverty & households
| Clay County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 8.6% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 2.60 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 23 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1987 | 1986 |
Full profiles
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