United States › Kansas › Hays CITY
Hays Kansas · 21,258 residents (2025 est.) · 8.64 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Hays is home to 21,143 people in Kansas. This skews young, with a median age of 30.2. Getting to work takes 11 minutes on average. 74% were living in the same home a year earlier. The foreign-born share is 3%. Density works out to 2,446 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
43% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,013 in 2000
21,258 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,446 / sq mi
+6%since 2009
from 2,317 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 29.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 19K 20K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Hays Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $58,459
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,501 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,565 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.465 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.6%
Public administration 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.2%
Education & health services 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$225,500
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$922
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $431 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 57.6% in 2000
41.5% rent
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.18 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.17 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.4%(18,885)
Hispanic / Latino 2.6%(527)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.1%(18,212)
Hispanic / Latino 7.4%(1,573)
from 15 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 32.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 89.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 76.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 82.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 80.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 77.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 51.1%(4,581)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 10.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 81.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 24.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 14.6%(84)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.4%(106)
Share of the 575 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Hays, Kansas? Hays, Kansas has about 21,143 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Hays, Kansas? The typical household in Hays, Kansas earns about $58,459 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Hays, Kansas expensive? In Hays, Kansas, the median home is worth about $225,500, and the typical rent is about $922 a month.
How educated are people in Hays, Kansas? About 42.7% of adults age 25 and over in Hays, Kansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Hays, Kansas? About 20.1% of people in Hays, Kansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Hays, Kansas grown since 1990? Yes, Hays, Kansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,376 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.
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