Hays, Kansas
Population, housing costs, incomes, jobs, commuting and climate in Hays, compared with Kansas and the U.S. using Census records and their margins of error.
Hays city · Incorporated city · Census GEOID 2031100 · Kansas directory
- Population · July 1, 2025
- 21,258 PEP Vintage 2025
- Change · 2024 to 2025
- +0.1% +24 residents
- Household income
- $58,459 ACS 2020–2024 · ±$4,000
- Home value
- $225,500 ACS 2020–2024 · ±$13,652
- Monthly gross rent
- $922 ACS 2020–2024 · ±$70
- Median age
- 30.2 years ACS 2020–2024 · ±1.0
Hays is an incorporated city in Ellis County, Kansas, part of the Hays, KS micropolitan area. With 21,258 residents on July 1, 2025, it ranks 21st in Kansas and 1,838th nationally among Census places. Its population grew by 24 (0.1%) in the year to July 2025; since April 2020 it has grown 0.5%. Median gross rent in the 2020–2024 survey is $922 a month, 13.0% below the Kansas median. Median household income is $58,459, 21.3% below the Kansas median.
Detailed demographics → Housing and cost-of-living context →
What stands out in Hays?
Compared with other Kansas places, Hays is most distinctive for fewer long commutes, denser settlement and more renters. Each statement below uses reliable estimates only, and survey differences from the state exceed their combined 90% margin of error.
- Commutes of 45 minutes or longer: 3.0%, 4.4 percentage points below the Kansas rate (7.4%); lower than 98% of 138 Kansas places with reliable estimates. Only 1 of 138 Kansas places with reliable estimates are lower.
- Residents per square mile of land: 2,432; higher than 97% of 624 Kansas places with reliable estimates.
- Homeownership rate: 58.5%, 8.7 percentage points below the Kansas rate (67.2%); lower than 93% of 543 Kansas places with reliable estimates.
- Median age: 30.2 years, 7.2 years younger than the Kansas median (37.4 years); lower than 92% of 538 Kansas places with reliable estimates.
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 42.7%, 7.1 percentage points above the Kansas rate (35.6%); higher than 89% of 304 Kansas places with reliable estimates.
How Hays compares with Kansas and the U.S.
| Measure | Hays | Kansas | U.S. | Position in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population change since April 2020 PEP Vintage 2025 | +0.5% | — | — | higher than 77% of 502 Kansas places |
| Residents per square mile of land PEP 2025 / Gazetteer 2025 | 2,432 | — | — | higher than 97% of 624 Kansas places |
| Median household income B19013 | $58,459 ±$4,000 | $74,275 | $80,734 | lower than 58% of 493 Kansas places |
| Median home value B25077 | $225,500 ±$13,652 | $217,200 | $332,700 | higher than 90% of 473 Kansas places |
| Median real estate taxes paid B25103 | $2,765 ±$133 | $2,798 | $3,119 | higher than 87% of 481 Kansas places |
| Median gross rent B25064 | $922 ±$70 | $1,060 | $1,413 | higher than 70% of 385 Kansas places |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent B25070 | 57.0% ±8.9 pp | 43.5% | 51.1% | higher than 81% of 156 Kansas places |
| Homeownership rate B25003 | 58.5% ±3.2 pp | 67.2% | 65.2% | lower than 93% of 543 Kansas places |
| Median age B01002 | 30.2 years ±1.0 | 37.4 years | 38.9 years | lower than 92% of 538 Kansas places |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor’s degree or higher B15003 | 42.7% ±4.0 pp | 35.6% | 35.7% | higher than 89% of 304 Kansas places |
| Poverty rate B17001 | 20.1% ±2.9 pp | 11.3% | 12.5% | higher than 82% of 172 Kansas places |
| People without health insurance B27010 | 8.3% ±1.8 pp | 8.8% | 8.4% | lower than 64% of 152 Kansas places |
| Households with a broadband subscription B28002 | 93.5% ±0.9 pp | 90.7% | 91.0% | higher than 81% of 543 Kansas places |
| Unemployment rate (civilian labor force) B23025 | 3.6% ±1.4 pp | 3.9% | 5.2% | lower than 68% of 36 Kansas places |
| Foreign-born residents B05002 | 2.9% ±0.9 pp | 7.4% | 14.1% | lower than 88% of 59 Kansas places |
| Jobs located in the place per 100 residents LODES 8.4 / PEP | 60.4 | — | — | higher than 83% of 257 Kansas places |
| Change in local jobs since 2019 LODES 8.4 | +3.3% | — | — | higher than 65% of 221 Kansas places |
| Workers who work from home B08301 | 5.2% ±1.5 pp | 11.8% | 15.1% | lower than 87% of 77 Kansas places |
| Commutes of 45 minutes or longer B08303 | 3.0% ±1.4 pp | 7.4% | 16.5% | lower than 98% of 138 Kansas places |
| Households without a vehicle B08201 | 4.2% ±1.7 pp | 5.1% | 8.4% | lower than 79% of 51 Kansas places |
Positions compare Hays with Kansas places in this directory whose estimate has a coefficient of variation of 30% or less (survey measures) or a published PEP value. The marker runs from the lowest value (left) to the highest (right); it is a description, not a score or a recommendation.
How many people live in Hays?
The latest official estimate is 21,258 residents on July 1, 2025. It ranks 1,838th by population nationally and 21st in Kansas among this directory’s PEP places. Population changed by 24 residents between the 2024 and 2025 estimates. These are annual estimates, not census enumerations.
| Reference date | Population | Change from previous estimate |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2020 | 21,159 | Separate from April 2020 base |
| July 1, 2021 | 21,087 | -72 |
| July 1, 2022 | 21,116 | +29 |
| July 1, 2023 | 21,171 | +55 |
| July 1, 2024 | 21,234 | +63 |
| July 1, 2025 | 21,258 | +24 |
From the revised April 2020 base to July 2025, the change is +114 residents (0.5%). This is a within-vintage comparison. Boundary adjustments can affect both the estimates and their interpretation.
Download this population chart (SVG) · Official population release
Where are the boundaries?
- Entity and stable identifier
- Hays city, Kansas · Incorporated city · 2031100
- Counties or equivalents · 2025 boundaries
- Ellis County
- Metropolitan or micropolitan context · July 2023 delineations
- Hays, KS — Micropolitan Statistical Area County associations use Census PEP county place parts. Each county is matched by FIPS code to the official CBSA list; a city can span several counties or statistical areas. A missing association can reflect an area outside a CBSA or changed county codes between vintages. City figures on this page remain place-level statistics.
- Land area
- 8.7 square miles · 2025 Gazetteer
- Water area
- 0.0 square miles · 2025 Gazetteer
- Approximate population density
- 2,432 residents per square mile of land
- Internal point
- 38.882156°, -99.321975° · Census geographic reference point
Density divides the July 2025 estimate by 2025 Gazetteer land area, so it is approximate. The internal point is a locator, not an address. Census place profile reference .
Income and poverty
| Measure / survey universe | City estimate ± MOE | State estimate ± MOE | U.S. estimate ± MOE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income Households · USD/year | $58,459 ±$4,000 | $74,275 ±$475 | $80,734 ±$166 |
| Per-capita income Total population · USD/year | $33,657 ±$2,350 | $40,978 ±$367 | $44,673 ±$122 |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty level | 3,967 ±581 | 20.1% ±2.9 pp |
Household income combines the incomes of everyone in a household; per-capita income divides all income by every resident. The poverty rate is 20.1% (±2.9 percentage points) under the official Census definition.
Home values, rent and tenure
| Measure / survey universe | City estimate ± MOE | State estimate ± MOE | U.S. estimate ± MOE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median owner-occupied home value Owner-occupied housing units · USD | $225,500 ±$13,652 | $217,200 ±$1,343 | $332,700 ±$236 |
| Median gross rent Renter-occupied units paying cash rent · USD/month | $922 ±$70 | $1,060 ±$7 | $1,413 ±$2 |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Owner occupied | 5,266 ±325 | 58.5% ±3.2 pp |
| Renter occupied | 3,737 ±356 | 41.5% ±3.8 pp |
Owner-occupied units make up 58.5% of occupied housing. Gross rent includes estimated tenant-paid utilities and home values are owners’ own estimates; both cover 2020–2024 leases and homes rather than current listings. The median home value is 3.9 times the median household income.
See housing units, occupancy, rent burden and homeowner costs .
Monthly rent by bedroom count
| Bedrooms | Monthly gross rent | 90% margin of error | Precision |
|---|---|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | $583 | ±$152 | Estimate with MOE |
| 1 bedroom | $697 | ±$139 | Estimate with MOE |
| 2 bedrooms | $901 | ±$70 | Estimate with MOE |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,064 | ±$126 | Estimate with MOE |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,422 | ±$69 | Estimate with MOE |
| 5 or more bedrooms | $2,036 | ±$264 | Estimate with MOE |
Census table B25031 describes renter-occupied units paying cash rent within this exact place geography. Gross rent includes contract rent and estimated tenant-paid utilities. These survey medians include existing leases across 2020–2024; they are not current apartment listings. Missing categories stay unavailable, and open-ended medians remain ranges. Small bedroom categories can have large margins of error. Download source values and provenance .
Employment among residents
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force | 12,568 ±381 | 71.8% ±2.1 pp |
| Not in the labor force | 4,942 ±443 | 28.2% ±2.5 pp |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian employed | 12,118 ±397 | 96.4% ±1.2 pp |
| Civilian unemployed | 449 ±177 | 3.6% ±1.4 pp |
These estimates describe residents of Hays wherever they work; jobs at workplaces inside the city appear under jobs located in Hays. They are 2020–2024 averages, not a current monthly unemployment rate.
Which industries employ residents?
Education, health care and social assistance is the largest of the published broad industry groups among employed residents: 34.8% (4,216 people; ±3.1 percentage points). The estimate covers residents’ industries wherever they work, rather than employers located inside the place.
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting and mining | 441 ±159 | 3.6% ±1.3 pp |
| Construction | 489 ±186 | 4.0% ±1.5 pp |
| Manufacturing | 508 ±174 | 4.2% ±1.4 pp |
| Wholesale trade | 222 ±112 · low precision | 1.8% ±0.9 pp · low precision |
| Retail trade | 1,677 ±341 | 13.8% ±2.8 pp |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 501 ±176 | 4.1% ±1.4 pp |
| Information | 316 ±150 | 2.6% ±1.2 pp |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 506 ±190 | 4.2% ±1.6 pp |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste services | 707 ±180 | 5.8% ±1.5 pp |
| Education, health care and social assistance | 4,216 ±402 | 34.8% ±3.1 pp |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services | 1,650 ±322 | 13.6% ±2.6 pp |
| Other services, except public administration | 454 ±153 | 3.7% ±1.3 pp |
| Public administration | 431 ±147 | 3.6% ±1.2 pp |
Occupations among employed residents
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Management, business, science and arts | 4,968 ±477 | 41.0% ±3.7 pp |
| Service occupations | 2,404 ±391 | 19.8% ±3.2 pp |
| Sales and office | 2,428 ±386 | 20.0% ±3.1 pp |
| Natural resources, construction and maintenance | 866 ±229 | 7.1% ±1.9 pp |
| Production, transportation and material moving | 1,452 ±290 | 12.0% ±2.4 pp |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Management occupations | 1,171 ±280 | 9.7% ±2.3 pp |
| Computer and mathematical occupations | 417 ±163 | 3.4% ±1.3 pp |
| Educational instruction and library occupations | 1,286 ±318 | 10.6% ±2.6 pp |
| Health practitioners and technical occupations | 833 ±205 | 6.9% ±1.7 pp |
| Sales and related occupations | 1,156 ±268 | 9.5% ±2.2 pp |
| Transportation occupations | 329 ±133 | 2.7% ±1.1 pp |
The detailed groups are subsets of the broad groups and should not be added to them.
How residents get to work
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 9,202 ±520 | 77.1% ±3.6 pp |
| Carpooled | 795 ±188 | 6.7% ±1.6 pp |
| Public transportation | 3 ±7 · low precision | 0.0% ±0.1 pp · low precision |
| Taxi or ride-hailing | 0 ±21 · low precision | 0.0% ±0.2 pp · low precision |
| Motorcycle | 52 ±70 · low precision | 0.4% ±0.6 pp · low precision |
| Bicycle | 0 ±21 · low precision | 0.0% ±0.2 pp · low precision |
| Walked | 1,186 ±298 | 9.9% ±2.5 pp |
| Other means | 66 ±54 · low precision | 0.6% ±0.5 pp · low precision |
| Worked from home | 626 ±183 | 5.2% ±1.5 pp |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 minutes | 9,248 ±696 | 81.8% ±5.4 pp |
| 15–29 minutes | 1,406 ±268 | 12.4% ±2.3 pp |
| 30–44 minutes | 308 ±167 · low precision | 2.7% ±1.5 pp · low precision |
| 45–59 minutes | 48 ±53 · low precision | 0.4% ±0.5 pp · low precision |
| 60 minutes or longer | 294 ±144 | 2.6% ±1.3 pp |
| Category | Count ± MOE | Share ± MOE (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| No vehicle available | 382 ±152 | 4.2% ±1.7 pp |
Travel times cover workers who did not work from home. Vehicle availability is counted per household, not per driver.
Households and residents
Median age is 30.2 years (±1.0). The demographic profile covers age groups, race and Hispanic origin, household types, nativity, languages, education and moves, each compared with Kansas and the U.S.
How many jobs are located in Hays?
Employers in Hays reported 12,792 jobs in 2023, +3.3% compared with 2019 (12,380 jobs). That is 60.4 jobs for every 100 residents in the July 2023 population estimate. These are jobs at workplaces inside the city limits, wherever the workers live, unlike resident employment figures.
| Industry | Jobs | Share of local jobs | Kansas share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,950 | 23.1% | 15.4% |
| Educational services | 2,263 | 17.7% | 9.9% |
| Retail trade | 1,654 | 12.9% | 10.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,454 | 11.4% | 8.0% |
| Public administration | 516 | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 474 | 3.7% | 12.0% |
| Construction | 387 | 3.0% | 5.0% |
| Information | 369 | 2.9% | 1.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 361 | 2.8% | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 358 | 2.8% | 4.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 351 | 2.7% | 4.1% |
| Other services, except public administration | 297 | 2.3% | 2.7% |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 279 | 2.2% | 5.7% |
| Administrative, support and waste management services | 273 | 2.1% | 5.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 233 | 1.8% | 4.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 217 | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 203 | 1.6% | 0.5% |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 145 | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 8 | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| Group | Jobs | Share | Kansas share |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,250 a month or less | 3,740 | 29.2% | 20.1% |
| $1,251 to $3,333 a month | 3,832 | 30.0% | 26.9% |
| More than $3,333 a month | 5,220 | 40.8% | 53.0% |
| Age 29 or younger | 3,796 | 29.7% | 23.9% |
| Age 30 to 54 | 6,025 | 47.1% | 51.2% |
| Age 55 or older | 2,971 | 23.2% | 24.9% |
Health care and social assistance is the largest sector for jobs located in Hays (23.1% of local jobs, compared with 15.4% statewide). Earnings bands describe what each job pays per month, not household income, and a worker can hold more than one job.
Source: Census LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics (LODES) 8.4, workplace area characteristics, all jobs, second-quarter reference date. Census blocks are summed to 2024 place boundaries. Includes private, state and local government and federal civilian jobs; excludes self-employment, military and informal work. Counts include confidentiality noise and are less precise for small places.
Nearby station climate normals
HAYS 1 S, KS (NOAA station USC00143527) is approximately 2.9 km from this place’s Census internal point. The table describes that station’s 1991–2020 climate normals, using NOAA’s corrected version 1.0.1. It is historical station context, rather than a forecast or an average across the city.
| Month | Average daily high (°F) | Average daily low (°F) | Precipitation (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42.5 | 16.7 | 0.56 |
| February | 46.2 | 19.6 | 0.81 |
| March | 57.2 | 29.4 | 1.32 |
| April | 66.7 | 39.7 | 2.13 |
| May | 76.3 | 51.0 | 3.60 |
| June | 87.5 | 61.7 | 3.03 |
| July | 92.6 | 66.4 | 3.95 |
| August | 90.0 | 64.3 | 3.47 |
| September | 82.4 | 55.6 | 2.13 |
| October | 69.4 | 41.2 | 1.68 |
| November | 55.8 | 27.9 | 0.90 |
| December | 43.8 | 19.0 | 0.86 |
Station location: 38.8586°, -99.3358°; elevation 612.6 meters. We select the nearest station within 25 km with all 12 months of high/low temperature and precipitation marked “S” (standard) by NOAA. Standard normals meet NOAA’s data-availability rules and can include estimated missing months. Distance is a straight-line great-circle calculation from the Census internal point. Coastal exposure, elevation and urban conditions can differ between the station and an address. NOAA normals and definitions · Original station CSV · Retained station data, flags and matching details .
Check a specific address before moving
City averages help compare places. A particular home’s school assignment, transit service and flood-map coverage need checks at the address.
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center — search the address, read the effective map and its date, and check any map changes. An unmapped location does not establish an absence of flood risk.
- NCES public school district directory — find district contact information, then use the district’s official address locator or enrollment office to confirm school assignment. A city name or district boundary alone does not assign a school.
- FCC National Broadband Map — check reported service at the exact location, then confirm availability and terms with the provider.
- Check the official transit operator’s route map and timetable for the address and your actual travel hours; the citywide commuting shares above do not measure service on a particular street.
Sources and data notes
Population: Census PEP Vintage 2025, published May 14, 2026. Survey measures: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates, published January 29, 2026, dollar figures in 2024 dollars. Geography: Census 2025 Gazetteer, with simplified 2024 state outlines for the locator. Statistical estimates and derived values use the same retained records in profiles, comparison, filters and downloads.
Climate uses NOAA 1991–2020 station normals (v1.0.1); jobs located in the city use LEHD LODES 8.4. Crime, school assignments and hazard scores are not inferred from these datasets, and missing values are never treated as zero. Inspect original sources, read calculation details, download this place’s source observations , or submit a correction.