Clay County

Clay County, Missouri – key demographics

Population

• 260,000 (2023 estimate; up from 253,335 in 2020)

Age

• Median age: ~37.7 years
• Under 18: ~23–24%
• 65 and over: ~16%

Sex

• Female: ~50.6%
• Male: ~49.4%

Race/ethnicity (ACS)

• White alone: ~82%
• Black or African American alone: ~6%
• Asian alone: ~3%
• American Indian/Alaska Native alone: ~0.6%
• Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: ~0.2%
• Two or more races: ~8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~9–10%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~75%

Households (ACS)

• Number of households: ~103,000
• Average household size: ~2.48
• Family households: ~63% of households
• Nonfamily households: ~37%
• Average family size: ~3.0

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2023 Population Estimates; American Community Survey 2018–2022).

Clay County, MO — estimated email usage snapshot

• Estimated users: ~185,000–195,000 adult residents use email (county pop ~260k; ~77% adults; 92–95% of adults use email, based on Pew/U.S. norms).
• Age: Email adoption is very high under 50 and only slightly lower among seniors.
  • 18–34: ~96–99%
  • 35–49: ~95–97%
  • 50–64: ~90–94%
  • 65+: ~82–88%
• Gender split: Roughly even (men ≈ women), with negligible difference in usage or frequency.
• Digital access trends:
  • About 88–92% of households have a broadband subscription; an estimated 12–15% are smartphone‑only.
  • 5G mobile coverage from major carriers is widespread across the Kansas City Northland; mobile‑only reliance is higher in lower‑income and rural tracts.
  • Fixed broadband at 100/20 Mbps or better is available to roughly 95%+ of addresses; northern rural areas see more fixed wireless/satellite reliance.
• Local density/connectivity facts:
  • Southern Clay County (Liberty, Gladstone, North Kansas City) is suburban and well‑served by cable and fiber (Xfinity, AT&T Fiber; Google Fiber in parts).
  • North Kansas City offers citywide municipal fiber (LiNKCity) with gigabit service.
  • Northern townships are less dense, with patchier wired options but improving fixed‑wireless coverage.

Mobile phone usage in Clay County, Missouri — summary focused on what differs from statewide patterns

Estimated users and adoption

• Total smartphone users: roughly 185,000–210,000 residents. Basis: county population around 260,000, adult share ~75–78%, with urban/suburban smartphone ownership typically around 88–92% of adults.
• 5G-capable device share: likely 70–80% of smartphones (higher than the statewide average, reflecting faster upgrade cycles in the Kansas City metro).
• Mobile-only internet households: approximately 10–13% of households (below Missouri’s statewide share, which is higher due to rural areas lacking fixed broadband). Many Clay County households have strong fixed-broadband options, reducing mobile-only reliance.

Demographic patterns (and how they shape usage)

• Age: A slightly younger, more family-oriented suburban mix than much of Missouri outside metro counties supports higher smartphone and 5G adoption. Seniors still lag in smartphone uptake, but the gap is narrower than in rural counties thanks to better device availability, retail presence, and support.
• Income and education: Higher household incomes and college attainment versus the Missouri average correlate with:
  • More postpaid plans and multi-line family plans
  • Faster device refresh (thus more 5G handsets)
  • Greater use of premium data plans and hotspot features
• Race/ethnicity: A smaller Black share and a somewhat larger Hispanic share than the statewide average. As elsewhere, Hispanic and Black residents are more likely than White residents to be “mobile-dependent” for internet, but the county’s abundant fixed broadband moderates that effect compared with rural Missouri.
• In-county variation: The KC “Northland” (Kansas City north of the river, Gladstone, North Kansas City, Liberty) sees the highest 5G adoption and usage intensity; the outer areas (e.g., near Smithville Lake, Kearney) show more mixed indoor coverage and slightly higher mobile-dependence where fixed options thin out.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• 5G footprint: Broad 5G coverage from all three national carriers across the Northland corridors (I‑35, US‑69, MO‑152, MO‑210, I‑435). Mid-band 5G (e.g., T‑Mobile n41, AT&T/Verizon C‑band) is common in population centers, yielding materially higher median speeds than much of rural Missouri.
• Tower density and backhaul: Dense macro and small-cell siting along commercial arterials and industrial zones, supported by robust fiber backhaul tied to the Kansas City metro’s extensive fiber plant.
• Fiber and Wi‑Fi offload:
  • Google Fiber serves many KC Northland neighborhoods within Clay County; AT&T Fiber and Spectrum also have wide availability.
  • North Kansas City operates the LiNKCity municipal fiber network, enabling gigabit service and strong public Wi‑Fi options.
  • Result: heavy Wi‑Fi offload at home/work reduces pure mobile-only dependence, unlike many Missouri counties where fixed broadband is limited.
• Fixed wireless overlap: T‑Mobile 5G Home and Verizon 5G Home are widely available, adding traffic to mobile cells but also expanding high-speed options where cable/fiber are absent.
• Public safety and institutions: Strong FirstNet/priority coverage and campus Wi‑Fi at schools and libraries further diminish mobile-only necessity for some users.

Key ways Clay County differs from Missouri overall

• Higher smartphone and 5G device penetration, driven by metro demographics and incomes.
• Faster median mobile speeds and more consistent indoor 5G coverage; far fewer “dead zones” than rural parts of the state.
• Lower share of mobile-only internet households due to abundant fiber/cable options and municipal/network investments.
• Greater carrier competition and small-cell density, translating to better capacity and plan choice.
• More Wi‑Fi offload (home, office, schools) and higher data consumption per user, whereas many rural counties rely on mobile data as a primary connection.

Notes on methodology and uncertainty

• Figures are estimates derived from the county’s population profile, Pew Research smartphone ownership benchmarks, and the Kansas City metro’s documented fiber/5G buildout. For planning-grade precision, validate with:
  • U.S. Census/ACS tables on device and internet access (e.g., S2801)
  • FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) maps for fixed and 5G coverage
  • Carrier coverage maps and local speed-test panels (Ookla, OpenSignal)
  • County surveys or school district tech access assessments

Below is a concise, county-level snapshot using best-available benchmarks (Pew Research Center 2023–2024, DataReportal US 2024) adjusted for Clay County’s suburban/KC-metro makeup. County-precise platform splits are rarely published; treat figures as estimates and validate with platform ad tools targeting Clay County ZIPs.

Headline size and reach

• Population: ~255–260k residents
• Active social media users: ~180k–210k (≈75–85% of residents age 13+)

Age mix of active users (est.)

• 13–17: 8–10%
• 18–29: 20–22%
• 30–49: 35–38%
• 50–64: 22–24%
• 65+: 12–15%

Gender breakdown (est.)

• Female: 52–54% of active users
• Male: 46–48% Notes: Women over-index on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest; men over-index on YouTube, Reddit, X.

Most-used platforms (share of active social users, monthly; est.)

• YouTube: 80–85%
• Facebook: 65–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 35–40%
• Snapchat: 30–35% (very high among teens/young adults)
• Pinterest: 30–35% (skews female; home/lifestyle)
• LinkedIn: 25–30% (KC-metro professional base)
• X (Twitter): 20–25%
• Nextdoor: 15–20% (neighborhood info, city services)
• Reddit: 15–20%

Behavioral trends to know

• Community-first: Heavy use of Facebook Groups/Nextdoor for neighborhood updates, schools, local government, road closures and severe-weather alerts.
• Marketplace-centric: Strong reliance on Facebook Marketplace and local buy/sell/trade groups for deals and home services.
• Short-form video growth: Reels/TikTok drive discovery for restaurants, events, attractions; cross-posting to Facebook is common.
• Event-driven spikes: Local festivals, school sports, regional pro sports, and winter weather produce engagement bursts across platforms.
• Visual discovery and DIY: Pinterest and YouTube used for home projects, landscaping, remodeling, and how‑to content.
• Private sharing: Messenger/WhatsApp/Snapchat used for coordination within families, teams, and parent groups.
• Trust via local proof: Recommendations and reviews in neighborhood groups heavily influence purchase decisions.
• Ads that work: Geo-targeted offers and testimonials perform well. Facebook/Nextdoor for households and home services; Instagram/TikTok for dining, retail, and entertainment; LinkedIn for hiring and B2B in the KC Northland corridor.

Sources and method

• Benchmarked from Pew Research Center (US social media by platform, age, gender, 2023–2024), DataReportal US 2024, and U.S. Census/ACS demographics for Clay County; adjusted for suburban demographics. Validate exact reach via platform ad planners for Clay County ZIP codes.