County · code 31035
Clay CountyNebraska
Clay County is a county in Nebraska with its seat in Clay Center. It was created in 1867 and named after Henry Clay.
- Founded1867
- County seatClay Center
- Named forHenry Clay
- Land area572 sq mi + 1.3 sq mi water
- Population6,104 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped7,695 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Clay on the map of Nebraska
Nebraska has 93 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1867
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Clay County was created by Nebraska Territory from Non-County Area 3 on February 16, 1867. The county was fully organized in 1871.
- 1867Clay County created Clay created by Nebraska Territory from Non-County Area 3; Clay not fully organized. Clay is in a different part of Nebraska from Clay (original, extinct). · Neb. Terr. Laws 1867, 12th reg. sess., sec. 1/p. 31
- 1871Changed Clay fully organized. · History of Neb., 549
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Clay
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 7,695 parcels from Clay County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 3 September 2026 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 3,274 in all from Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC), 911 Department.
checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Clay by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
County government
- County government
The official website of Clay County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Clay County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Clay County
- When was Clay County founded?
- Clay County was founded in 1867, and named after Henry Clay.
- What is the county seat of Clay County?
- The county seat of Clay County is Clay Center.
- Is there an online parcel map for Clay County?
- Yes. Clay County publishes a parcel map of 7,695 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Clay County's boundary or name changed?
- Clay County was created in 1867. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 1 later change.
- Who issues building permits in Clay County?
- The county's page on building permits: Firearm Purchase Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Clay County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Health department: septic and well.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Clay County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby