Hays, KS Micro Area

Metro Area

Population: 28,870 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Hays, KS Micro Area

What is the median household income in Hays, KS Micro Area?: The median household income in Hays, KS Micro Area is $59,889 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Hays, KS Micro Area?: The poverty rate in Hays, KS Micro Area is 10.4% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Hays, KS Micro Area?: $211,100 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Hays, KS Micro Area?: The median gross rent in Hays, KS Micro Area is $899 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Hays, KS Micro Area residents have a college degree?: 39.5% of adults in Hays, KS Micro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

28,870

Median Income

$59,889

Median Home Value

$211,100

Poverty Rate

10.4%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.2%

Median Age

32.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$7,006 (+13.2%) Home Value: +$42,000 (+24.8%) Poverty Rate: +1.1 pp (+11.8%) Bachelor's+: +3.2 pp (+8.8%) Unemployment: +0.4 pp (+14.3%)

Demographics

Total Population 28,870

Median Age 32.0

Female 49.9%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 7.1% White (non-Hisp.) 87.5% Black 1.8% Asian 1.5% Two or More 4.2% Other 2.2%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

0.7%

Indian

0.4%

Filipino

0.2%

Japanese

0.2%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

5.4%

Cuban

0.3%

Puerto Rican

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $59,889 ±$4,452

Per Capita Income $82,507

Median Family Income $88,222

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Child Poverty Rate 13.9%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 5.5%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 18.7%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

5.5%

$10–15k

4.7%

$15–25k

10.6%

$25–35k

7.2%

$35–50k

12.4%

$50–75k

17.4%

$75–100k

12.5%

$100–150k

17.2%

$150–200k

8.1%

$200k+

4.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 13,247

Owner-Occupied 62.4%

Renter-Occupied 37.6%

Vacancy Rate 8.0%

Median Home Value $211,100

Median Gross Rent $899

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 19.5%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 41.2%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

4.7%

$50–100k

7.8%

$100–200k

12.3%

$200–300k

27.2%

$300–500k

19.4%

$500k–$1M

6.0%

$1M+

0.7%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

14.0%

$500–1k

44.6%

$1–1.5k

30.2%

$1.5–2k

8.9%

$2–2.5k

0.4%

$3.5k+

1.8%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

3.9%

1 vehicle

28.1%

2 vehicles

39.5%

28.5%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

70.6%

Single-fam. att.

4.4%

2–4 units

8.9%

5–19 units

3.4%

20+ units

3.5%

Mobile home

3.6%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

12.8%

1940–1969

6.0%

1970–1999

18.5%

2000–2009

9.6%

2010+

5.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 95.3%

Bachelor's or Higher 39.5%

Graduate Degree 14.6%

Some College / Associate 18.7%

Less Than High School 1.1%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 72.5%

Unemployment Rate 3.2%

Work from Home 6.0%

Self-Employed 6.5%

Government Workers 21.2%

Private For-Profit 72.2%

Industry

Edu/Health

33.9%

Arts/Entmt.

12.4%

Retail

11.3%

Agriculture

6.6%

Prof. Services

6.3%

Construction

5.2%

Finance

4.8%

Manufacturing

4.5%

Transportation

3.7%

Public Admin

3.2%

Information

2.9%

Wholesale

1.8%

Occupation

Management

40.9%

Food Prep

19.6%

Sales

19.3%

Production

11.5%

Construction

8.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 13.0 min

Drove Alone 80.5%

Carpool 5.7%

Public Transit 0.0%

Work from Home 6.0%

Walked 7.0%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 12,186

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 45.8%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 19.9%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.1%

5–9

5.5%

10–14

6.5%

15–19

9.8%

20–24

13.2%

25–34

12.7%

35–44

11.6%

45–54

9.5%

55–64

4.9%

65–74

5.7%

75–84

9.3%

85+

3.4%

Under 18: 20.3% Working age (18–64): 79.7% 65 and over: 15.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 2.8%

Naturalized Citizen 37.9%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 1.4%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

46.8%

Asia

36.8%

Africa

7.5%

Europe

5.3%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 3.8%

With a Disability 11.5%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 92.8%

Uninsured 7.2%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 92.3%

Has a Computer 95.3%

Same House 1 Year Ago 78.7%

Moved from Abroad 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023