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COUNTY

Hays County

Texas · 304,390 residents (2025 est.) · 676.852 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#12Fastest growingof 3,135+26.3%
The short version

Hays County has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $89,097. The county has more than doubled in size since 2000, adding 171,049 residents. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $399,800. At a median age of 34.1, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. It ranks in the top 5% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
43% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
268,638
+175%since 2000
from 97,589 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
397 / sq mi
+90%since 2009
from 209 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
34.1
+20%since 2000
from 28.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:304,390 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
45K106K167K228K289K1990201020202024Hays County
2024269K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(15,524)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(17,462)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(16,823)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198%(21,464)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2410.8%(29,074)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414%(37,485)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415.1%(40,469)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(30,904)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410%(26,771)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.9%(21,333)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.2%(8,708)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1%(2,621)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$89,097
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,006 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$44,565
+124%since 2000
from $19,931 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
57.5%
+22.4 ptssince 2009
from 35.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2000
from 14.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.459
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.459 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade7.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$399,800
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $116,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,495
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $628 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
64.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 64.8% in 2000
35.9% rent
Vacancy rate
4.6%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
24.0%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
56.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 54.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.5
+43%since 2009
from 3.1 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
79
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Hays County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64.5%(62,945)
Black3.5%(3,448)
Hispanic / Latino29.6%(28,859)
Asian0.8%(740)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic50.5%(135,533)
Black3.8%(10,310)
Hispanic / Latino39.4%(105,942)
Asian2%(5,325)
Other4.3%(11,528)
Diversity Score
73
+12%since 2009
from 65 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
−13%since 2020
from 39 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican32%(85,988)
Central American2.2%(6,039)
South American0.9%(2,364)
Puerto Rican0.8%(2,249)
Honduran0.7%(1,753)
Nicaraguan0.6%(1,585)
Salvadoran0.6%(1,575)
Spaniard0.6%(1,482)
Cuban0.3%(896)
Colombian0.3%(786)
Venezuelan0.2%(663)
Guatemalan0.2%(570)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.2%(508)
Peruvian0.1%(327)
Bolivian0.1%(290)
Costa Rican0.1%(262)
Panamanian0.1%(259)
Argentine0%(123)
Chilean0%(79)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(1,404)
Asian Indian0.5%(1,288)
Chinese0.3%(743)
Bangladeshi0.2%(526)
Vietnamese0.2%(423)
Korean0.2%(406)
Nepalese0.1%(137)
Japanese0%(108)
Cambodian0%(78)
Taiwanese0%(49)
Pakistani0%(45)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(31)
Burmese0%(16)
Malaysian0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(301)
Chamorro0%(122)
Tongan0%(32)
Ancestry
German13.1%(35,093)
English11.1%(29,746)
Irish8.8%(23,562)
American3.2%(8,562)
Italian3%(7,986)
Scottish2.3%(6,304)
French2.1%(5,646)
Polish1.4%(3,641)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(2,893)
Czech1%(2,647)
Norwegian0.8%(2,240)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.8%(2,176)
Dutch0.6%(1,608)
British0.5%(1,437)
Welsh0.5%(1,424)
Russian0.4%(1,119)
Arab0.4%(1,099)
Greek0.3%(938)
Portuguese0.3%(816)
Nigerian0.2%(631)
Swiss0.2%(414)
Danish0.2%(409)
Slovak0.1%(400)
Ukrainian0.1%(396)
Lebanese0.1%(364)
Finnish0.1%(344)
Hungarian0.1%(311)
Austrian0.1%(298)
West Indian0.1%(214)
Iranian0.1%(197)
Brazilian0.1%(190)
Romanian0.1%(170)
Croatian0.1%(152)
Canadian0.1%(140)
Australian0.1%(139)
Ghanaian0%(123)
Armenian0%(114)
Egyptian0%(103)
Belgian0%(100)
Jamaican0%(98)
Israeli0%(96)
Guyanese0%(88)
Slovene0%(74)
Syrian0%(63)
Moroccan0%(61)
Turkish0%(49)
Serbian0%(45)
Haitian0%(23)
Barbadian0%(22)
Ethiopian0%(20)
Bulgarian0%(19)
Latvian0%(15)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
43.2%
+11.8 ptssince 2000
from 31.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
92.0%
+7.3 ptssince 2000
from 84.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
15.5%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 11.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
31.3 min
+49%since 2000
from 20.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.6%
−8.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.6%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
18.1%
+12.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.4%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 7.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
68.7%
+2.9 ptssince 2011
from 65.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
43.9%
−21.1 ptssince 2009
from 65.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.9% in 2009
Female
50.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
Foreign born
9.8%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.8%
−42.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2012
from 9.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
11.6%
−70.4 ptssince 2013
from 82.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.9%
+12.4 ptssince 2017
from 80.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
75.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2016
from 75.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
21.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 22.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39.6%(42,986)
Married50.7%(55,029)
Widowed1.4%(1,563)
Divorced8.2%(8,919)
Women 15+
Never married36.5%(40,324)
Married47.6%(52,511)
Widowed5.2%(5,771)
Divorced10.6%(11,726)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Hays County to nearby counties

HAYS COUNTY VS
Comal County
Income$101,889+14%
Home value$427,200+7%
Population209,166−31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAYS COUNTY VS
Travis County
Income$99,611+12%
Home value$523,000+31%
Population1,389,670+357%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAYS COUNTY VS
Blanco County
Income$92,425+4%
Home value$483,500+21%
Population13,581−96%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAYS COUNTY VS
Caldwell County
Income$69,758−22%
Home value$240,500−40%
Population55,150−82%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Hays County, Texas?

Hays County, Texas has about 268,638 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Hays County, Texas?

The typical household in Hays County, Texas earns about $89,097 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Hays County, Texas expensive?

In Hays County, Texas, the median home is worth about $399,800, and the typical rent is about $1,495 a month.

How educated are people in Hays County, Texas?

About 43.2% of adults age 25 and over in Hays County, Texas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Hays County, Texas?

About 12.1% of people in Hays County, Texas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Hays County, Texas grown since 1990?

Yes, Hays County, Texas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 203,024 residents, a change of about 309 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

46 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 109.22Census Tract 108.16Census Tract 109.05Census Tract 109.09Census Tract 109.16Census Tract 109.23Census Tract 108.09Census Tract 109.12Census Tract 109.19Census Tract 104.02Census Tract 109.15Census Tract 102Census Tract 109.13Census Tract 109.17Census Tract 109.25Census Tract 109.18Census Tract 109.21Census Tract 103.05Census Tract 109.24Census Tract 107.03
7 ZIP codes
ZIP 78666ZIP 78640ZIP 78610ZIP 78737ZIP 78620ZIP 78676ZIP 78619
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Hays County, Texas: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy