United States › Hays MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Hays Micro Hays, KS · 1 counties · 28,934 residents · 900 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 28,934 people, Hays is a metro area. The average commute runs 12 minutes. This skews young, with a median age of 34.1. The foreign-born share is 3%. The typical home is worth $172,700, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $730 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 34.1
US median: 38.8
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 37%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 32.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
26K 27K 28K 28K 29K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Hays Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $57,053
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,339 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $18,259 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 12.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.6%
Public administration 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.7%
Education & health services 0.7%
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$172,700
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,100 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$730
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $431 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 63.3% in 2000
38.0% rent
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.8 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.1%(26,160)
Hispanic / Latino 2.4%(652)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 86.8%(25,109)
Hispanic / Latino 7%(2,016)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 29.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 87.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 10.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 75.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 30.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 9.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 45.2%(5,447)
Women 15+
Never married 35.4%(4,258)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 29.5%(388)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.1%(212)
Share of the 1,316 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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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Hays Head to head
Compare Hays side by side HAYS VS
Ludington
Income $64,748 +13%
Home value $219,600 +27%
Population 29,040 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAYS VS
Kirksville
Income $61,490 +8%
Home value $161,819 −6%
Population 29,824 +3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAYS VS
Mountain Home
Income $65,359 +15%
Home value $316,500 +83%
Population 29,465 +1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HAYS VS
Iron Mountain
Income $64,538 +13%
Home value $156,321 −9%
Population 30,575 +5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Hays, KS? Hays, KS has about 28,934 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Hays, KS? The typical household in Hays, KS earns about $57,053 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Hays, KS expensive? In Hays, KS, the median home is worth about $172,700, and the typical rent is about $730 a month.
How educated are people in Hays, KS? About 38.0% of adults age 25 and over in Hays, KS hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Hays, KS? About 14.2% of people in Hays, KS live below the federal poverty line.
Has Hays, KS grown since 1990? Yes, Hays, KS has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,930 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.
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