Welcome to Clay Center – “The City Beautiful”
Clay Center is the county seat of Clay County. It is located at the junction of U.S.-24 and K-15, an intersection where you’ll find a strong and vibrant community featuring cultural events, an aquatic park, a city zoo, public library, beautiful golf courses, a municipal airport, retail and specialty stores. You’ll find excitement everywhere you look.
New Resident
No matter what brings you to Clay Center, we are so glad you are here, and want to get to know you! We hope you will feel most welcome in our town. If you have questions, let us know.
Parks
Our City offers three beautiful park areas with several attractions for both adults and children to enjoy. Some feature covered picnic areas, shade trees, walking trails and even a zoo.
Aquatic Park
Clay Center Aquatic Park offers something for the whole family with a lazy river, family slide, 1-meter and 3-meter boards and two large slides, all in a heated, zero-depth entry pool.
Government
The mayor and council are the governing body for the City of Clay Center. There are four wards, two council members per ward. The governing body meets twice per month.
Contact Us
View a list of contacts for quick reference. We can be reached by email or phone during regular business hours. You can also stop by our office at 427 Court Street in Clay Center.
Online Payments
Pay fees online for a quick and easy secure transaction. Once you have submitted your payment, you will receive an email from us. Make a payment by phone at (877) 685-4493.
News & Announcements
MURAL WALK
There are so many beautiful new murals around our town! Visit their webpage to get the interactive map, news articles, podcasts and more!
TRASH PICK-UP SCHEDULE FOR MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY
The Refuse Department will no collect refuse or recycle items on Monday, May 29th, 2023 due to the Memorial Day Holiday. The normal Monday service will be provided on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023. Please have items out early as it may be a different than normal day.
CLAY COUNTY PULL FACTOR IMPROVEMENT
Clay Center – According to the Kansas Department of Revenue Fiscal 2021 Annual Report, Clay County’s Pull Factor for Retail Sales improved by 19.5%, second only to Woodson County with a significantly smaller trade area population.
The KS Dept of Revenue measures the relative strength of the retail trade for the retail business community. The Country Trade Pull Factor (CTPF) is computed by dividing the per capita sales tax of a county by the statewide per capital sale tax. A CTPF of 1.00 is a perfect balance of trade. The purchase of county residents who shop elsewhere are offset by the purchases of out of county customers. CTPF values greater than 1.00 indicates that local businesses are pulling in trade from beyond their home county borders.
Clay County improved from a CTPF in Fiscal 2020 of .78 to a CTPF in 2021 of .93, a 20.21% improvement. Other counties in the area improved as well. Cloud from .97 to .99, Geary from .86 to .90, Marshal from .93 to .94, Riley from .72 to .74, and Washington from .59 to .60.
Grow Clay County Executive Director Natalie Muruato comments, “Clay County has a broad selection of retailers from restaurants, car dealerships, special shops, farm suppliers, and building suppliers. This broad base as well as people realizing during the pandemic that they could get what they need closer to home has built this factor significantly.” Muruato went on to say, “Clay County has a strong momentum of community pride, community growth, and community investment that will really make a difference in the years to come.”
Clay County and the adjoining counties account for 4.36% of the total state sales tax collections.
To see the full report from the Kansas Department of Revenue, visit Clay County Kansas Pull Factor
A Community of Distinction
We’ve been featured in the “Communities of Distinction” program, as well as having been chosen as a feature community for “League of Kansas Municipalities.” These feature pieces take viewers into some of the best little cities and town in the United States – towns just like ours. With its quality education system, fiber-optic Internet, modern amenities and retail and specialty stores, Clay Center is a perfect place for individuals and families who want to enjoy the best that small town living has to offer. Check out our town in the videos below!