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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Hays

Kansas · 20,013 residents · 8.64 sq mi
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The short version

With 20,013 people, Hays is a city in Kansas. This skews young, with a median age of 29.7. About 33% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Owners hold 58% of the housing stock. That trails the Kansas median by roughly 22%. The average commute runs 11 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 29.7
US median: 35.2
More educated
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

20,013
+13%since 1990
from 17,767 in 1990
1990 – 2025
29.7
−4%since 1990
from 30.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
8.64 sq mi
Population, 19902024
17K18K19K20K21K19902000201020202024Hays
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.7%(1,144)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.2%(1,037)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.3%(1,251)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1910.7%(2,143)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2415.9%(3,177)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.8%(2,362)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4412.8%(2,555)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412%(2,399)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646.5%(1,300)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.5%(1,305)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.6%(928)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.1%(412)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$31,501
+3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $23,259 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$18,565
+49%since 1990
from $12,430 in 1990
US average: $21,522
14.9%
−0.4 ptssince 1990
from 15.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$89,300
+25%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $54,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$431
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $299 in 1990
US average: $602
57.6%
−1.5 ptssince 1990
from 59.2% in 1990
42.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic98.9%(17,573)
Black0.3%(51)
Hispanic / Latino1%(177)
Asian0.5%(88)
2000
White, non-Hispanic94.4%(18,885)
Black0.7%(149)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(527)
Asian1.1%(217)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.4%(1,346)
Salvadoran0.2%(38)
Guatemalan0.1%(22)
Puerto Rican0.1%(20)
Colombian0.1%(15)
Costa Rican0.1%(12)
Spaniard0.1%(12)
Asian origin
Chinese0.7%(152)
Asian Indian0.7%(142)
Filipino0.4%(83)
Korean0%(6)
Ancestry
German43.8%(9,261)
Irish12.7%(2,694)
English9.9%(2,096)
Italian4.6%(976)
American3.3%(689)
French2.1%(435)
Russian1.7%(365)
Scottish1.4%(300)
Austrian1.2%(255)
Polish1.2%(255)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(241)
Swedish1%(220)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1%(210)
Finnish0.9%(183)
Welsh0.6%(122)
Swiss0.6%(119)
Danish0.4%(94)
Lithuanian0.4%(78)
Norwegian0.4%(76)
Belgian0.3%(58)
Arab0.2%(43)
Greek0.2%(43)
Nigerian0.1%(27)
Croatian0.1%(24)
Slovak0.1%(24)
Czech0.1%(21)
Hungarian0.1%(13)
Iranian0.1%(12)
Ukrainian0.1%(11)
British0%(6)
Section 05

Education

32.9%
+5.5 ptssince 1990
from 27.5% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
89.6%
+6.4 ptssince 1990
from 83.1% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
12.3%
+4.4 ptssince 1990
from 7.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

10.6 min
−10%since 1990
from 11.8 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married42.4%(3,456)
Married48.8%(3,981)
Widowed2.5%(200)
Divorced6.3%(515)
Women 15+
Never married30.5%(2,593)
Married50.1%(4,253)
Widowed11%(936)
Divorced8.4%(709)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

8.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2013
from 9.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
60.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 61.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
22.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
16.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 17.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
11.8%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 10.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 1.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
78.6%
−2.7 ptssince 2020
from 81.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
25.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.4%(106)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.6%(245)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.5%(20)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II5.9%(34)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Hays, Kansas?

Hays, Kansas has about 20,013 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Hays, Kansas?

The typical household in Hays, Kansas earns about $31,501 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 $89,300, and the typical rent is about $431 a month.

How educated are people in Hays, Kansas?

About 32.9% 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 14.9% 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 2,246 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →