Population 3,444 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hays
Household size in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.69 | 2.87 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.85 | 2.79 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.83 | 2.95 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.55 | 2.83 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.14 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in Hays has 2.47 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. That is in line with the rest of the Austin area.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 34.0 | 34.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 35.2 | 35.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.9 | 36.3 | 36.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.9 | 37.2 | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Change | +7.7 | +3.3 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Hays skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 38.2 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 11.8% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 11.2% | 13.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 9.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 9.7% | 12.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Hays: 4.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hays
Renters in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 40.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.1% | 42.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.3% | 41.8% | 38.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.6% | 41.7% | 37.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 19.6% of households in Hays rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 42.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 8.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 8.5% | 10.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 8.3% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 5.9% | 9.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Hays is close to the national rate: 10.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Austin area overall (5.9%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1993 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1996 | 1995 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2001 | 2000 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +10 | +8 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Hays is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2001, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The picture is much the same across the Austin area.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,054 | $1,064 | $921 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,140 | $1,155 | $1,005 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $988 | $1,428 | $1,178 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,291 | $1,911 | $1,560 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$237 | +$847 | +$639 | +$606 |
The median renter in Hays pays $1,291 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 29.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hays
Bachelor's degrees in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.5% | 38.3% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.8% | 40.3% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.2% | 44.2% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 48.0% | 50.4% | 34.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | +12.1 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Hays: 48.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The picture is much the same across the Austin area.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 87.6% | 80.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 88.3% | 82.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.6% | 89.9% | 83.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 91.6% | 85.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +4.0 pts | +5.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Hays: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hays
| Period | Hays | Austin area | Texas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 6.4% | 7.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 6.9% | 7.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 4.3% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.8% | 4.3% | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hays has been low: just 1.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hays compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays | 2.47 | 45.9 | 4.7% | 19.6% | 10.3% | 2001 | $1,291 | 48.0% | 96.8% | 1.8% |
| San Marcos | 2.43 | 30.4 | 9.8% | 64.3% | 9.3% | 1997 | $1,379 | 38.5% | 89.4% | 5.1% |
| Redwood | 2.83 | 36.7 | 19.6% | 24.2% | 7.9% | 1998 | $1,256 | 27.3% | 84.5% | 2.4% |
| Reedville | 2.92 | 33.0 | 9.5% | 25.7% | 2.8% | 2004 | $1,413 | 23.4% | 88.4% | 5.2% |
| Martindale | 2.68 | 39.5 | 10.3% | 34.7% | 5.8% | 1991 | $1,219 | 25.5% | 78.3% | 7.0% |
| Maxwell | 2.97 | 34.4 | 9.0% | 23.4% | 2.5% | 2003 | $1,426 | 23.0% | 86.2% | 4.8% |
| Kyle | 2.78 | 34.5 | 14.3% | 30.3% | 3.4% | 2010 | $1,856 | 31.7% | 90.3% | 3.3% |
| Staples | 2.80 | 43.6 | 10.5% | 28.0% | 12.0% | 1994 | $1,241 | 26.8% | 86.0% | 10.6% |
| Sattler | 2.65 | 45.6 | 10.2% | 12.5% | 11.6% | 2000 | $1,896 | 32.3% | 94.6% | 1.9% |
| Zorn | 2.96 | 42.7 | 13.9% | 31.4% | 8.0% | 1990 | $1,153 | 25.1% | 93.0% | 13.2% |
| Uhland | 3.44 | 25.2 | 20.1% | 10.0% | 5.6% | 2005 | $2,020 | 16.3% | 74.0% | 2.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Canisteo, NY · Rollinsford, NH · Hermann, MO · Alexandria, OH · Kulpmont, PA · Millbury, OH · New York Mills, NY · North Falmouth, MA · Port Byron, IL · Ravensdale, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hays. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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