Kay county is located in northern Oklahoma on the Kansas state line due north of
Oklahoma City on
Interstate 35with
Newkirk serving as the county seat.
Significant bodies of water include Kaw Lake, Lake Ponca and the Arkansas River which forms the southeastern county line with Osage County. The Salt Fork of the Arkansas and the Chikaskia rivers also flow through the county.
Museum buffs will enjoy the Top of Oklahoma Historical Museum in Blackwell and the Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca City. In addition, the Marland Mansion Estate, built for oil baron E.W. Marland, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is also located in Ponca City.
The county population on July 1, 1999, was 46,448, a decrease of 1,608 over the 1990 census.