Clay County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kansas City, Liberty and Gladstone
The data center boom is not abstract in Clay County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 33 data centers in Clay County, 35% of Missouri's total. Clay County is home to part of Kansas City (144,263 of its 521,220 residents), Liberty, Gladstone and Kearney. Construction employs 5,557, up 26.7% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 895, up 40.9% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $66,705 a year. Employers here counted 110,830 jobs in 2025, up 6.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Clay County
Clay County is home to part of Kansas City (144,263 of its 521,220 residents), Liberty, Gladstone and Kearney.
- Kansas City also extends into Jackson County, Platte County.
- Excelsior Springs also extends into Ray County.
- Lawson also extends into Ray County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Paradise.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Clay County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 254,121 | 265,032 | ▲ 4.3% | 6th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 104,575 | 110,830 | ▲ 6.0% | 36th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,257 | $64,860 | ▲ 29.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,387 | 5,557 | ▲ 26.7% | 27th of 71 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 635 | 895 | ▲ 40.9% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 68 | 93 | ▲ 36.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Clay County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 265,032 people live here, up 4.3% since 2020, 6th of 115 Missouri counties by population.
Who powers Clay County
Utilities with service territory in Clay County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co - (MO) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,095,619 | 12.56¢ | 44% |
| Evergy Missouri West | Investor Owned | Bundled | 305,583 | 12.55¢ | 42% |
| Evergy Metro | Investor Owned | Bundled | 273,860 | 13.72¢ | 51% |
| Platte-Clay Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,584 | 12.46¢ | 23% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Clay County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Clay County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 110,830 | $64,860 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,557 | $82,819 | 0.95 |
| Electrical contractors | 895 | $66,705 | 1.12 |
| Data processing and hosting | 93 | $87,715 | 0.27 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Clay County
33 data centers in Clay County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Clay County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Clay County, Jackson County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 265,032 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | 33 | — |
| Clinton County | 21,661 | ▲ 22.4% | — | 419 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 732,994 | ● 0.0% | 2,018 MW | — | 16 | 2 |
| Platte County | 114,400 | ▲ 0.3% | 1,754 MW | — | 7 | — |
| Ray County | 23,398 | ▼ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Wyandotte County KS | 170,597 | ▲ 3.5% | 510 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Clay County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clay County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Clay County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Evergy Missouri West, Evergy Metro, Platte-Clay Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Is Kansas City in Clay County?
Partly. 144,263 of Kansas City's 521,220 residents (28%) live in Clay County; most of the city is in Jackson County.
What county is Liberty, MO in?
Liberty is in Clay County, Missouri. About 31,319 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Gladstone, MO in?
Gladstone is in Clay County, Missouri. About 27,497 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Clay County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 33 data centers in Clay County.
Is Clay County adding jobs?
Employers counted 110,830 jobs in 2025 against 104,575 in 2019 (+6.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,387 to 5,557.
Does Clay County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clay County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.