Claycomo

With apologies to William Shakespeare, shall I compare Claycomo to a summer’s day? Honestly, it’s a pretty accurate description, but more to the point, literature fans will no doubt notice that many of the streets in Claycomo just outside northern Kansas City bear the names of famous poets. Dickinson, Emerson, Whitman and others are all memorialized in the names of local roads, but the reasons to live in this little hamlet are just as likely to be practical as poetic. Beginning life as a 412-acre farm, the village of Claycomo has developed into a bustling community of active residents who appreciate the combination of small-town feel and access to big-city amenities. “It’s a comfortable, established area that’s like small-town America,” says Ron Henderson of Keller Williams Realty. “People who live there are very involved with the community. They have all sorts of events throughout the year, and everybody gets involved. And it’s still easy to get downtown.”

Home prices have a wide range in Claycomo, but the median price hovers around $250,000, and buyers should expect to pay somewhere around $160 per square foot. A small one-bedroom/one-bathroom bungalow can sell for as little as $92,000, whereas a sprawling four-bedroom/four-bathroom ranch-style home on a lot in excess of an acre in size can sell for as much as $420,000. “Overall, homes in the area are relatively affordable,” says Henderson.

Students in Claycomo attend Ravenwood Elementary, Maple Park Middle and Winnetonka High School. Winnetonka currently holds the distinction of being the only school in the state of Missouri to be recognized as an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Demonstration School. AVID distinction is granted based on a school’s ability to prepare students for college, and only 210 public schools in the United States have achieved the status of Demonstration School.

Claycomo is home to three different parks: Claycomo City Park, Mildred Keeney Park and Village Green Park. ¬¬Claycomo City Park has a baseball diamond and playground, all encircled by a paved walking path. Mildred Keeney Park features a tennis court, gazebo and playground in addition to a paved walking path. Village Green Park has a picnic shelter as well as soccer fields. And a variety of annual events throughout the year, including things like Trunk or Treat at Haloween or the Stream Clean-Up, bring residents together to socialize and help their community.

If there can be said to be a drawback to life in Claycomo it is that transportation is necessary for doing things like grocery shopping and other necessary errands. Hy-Vee Grocery Store is a 10-minute drive for groceries, and Walmart Super Center is about 15 minutes away by car. When you can’t make it to the grocery store or just don’t feel like cooking, Nelle Belle’s Diner serves up breakfast and lunch in a casual setting. Alternatively, Ma & Pa’s Kettle Restaurant will satisfy your cravings for burgers, sandwiches and other comfort foods.

For local shopping, head over to Claycomo Plaza for everything from clothing to furniture. But if you need some serious retail therapy, getting to downtown KC and all those stores is made easier by the neighborhood’s proximity to major thoroughfares. “Claycomo has easy access to Interstate 35, and you can get to other major roads pretty easily,” says Henderson. What that means is that you’re never far away from all the retail therapy you might need or a big-city fix when you feel the urge to see the bright lights. And the beauty of it is that you can retreat back to the peace and quiet of Claycomo.

With its wide range of real estate, plenty of local amenities and easy access to major highways, Claycomo is one of those areas that has a lot to offer, but still flies under the radar of many potential buyers. If you’re looking for a peaceful neighborhood that’s well-established and offers a range of amenities, don’t overlook Claycomo.

Written By

Andrew Spencer

Photography Contributed By

John Collins

Video By

Kristen Wilson