The typical owner-occupied home in Clay County is worth about $275,600, 20% above the Missouri median of $230,300 and 17% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,941 a year in property taxes, about 1.07% of their home's value, higher than the Missouri rate of 0.85%. The median household earns $88,468 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (3.3 times for Missouri). 69% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 69% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Clay County at a glance
| Clay County | Missouri | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,600 | $230,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,941 | $1,948 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.07% | 0.85% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $88,468 | $70,702 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 69% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 69% | 60% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,757 | $1,524 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.3% | 19.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,243 | $1,033 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 28.1% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1987 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 5.2% | 11.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 258,122 | 6,191,814 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Clay County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Clay County home of $275,600 with 20% down costs about $1,844 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,303, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $79,018 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Clay County household income of $88,468; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $309,000.
The median rent here is $1,243 a month, so owning the median home costs about $601 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $55,120 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $220,480 |
| Principal and interest | $1,483 |
| Property taxes (1.07% a year) | $246 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $115 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,844 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,646 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $270,608 |
| Principal and interest | $1,820 |
| Property taxes (1.07% a year) | $246 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $115 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $122 |
| Total per month | $2,303 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Clay County
What is the median home value in Clay County?
About $275,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Clay County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,941 a year, which is about 1.07% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Clay County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,844 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $79,018 a year.
More about Clay County
- Mortgage Refinance in Clay County
- Debt Relief in Clay County
- Home Equity Loans in Clay County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data