Hays is a city located in Ellis County Kansas. Hays has a 2024 population of 21,011. It is also the county seat of Ellis County. Hays is currently declining at a rate of -0.14% annually and its population has decreased by -0.54% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 21,126 in 2020.
The average household income in Hays is $78,895 with a poverty rate of 19.89%. The median age in Hays is 30.2 years: 27.9 years for males, and 31.4 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Hays was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 18,966 | 89.98% |
| Two or more races | 936 | 4.44% |
| Other race | 497 | 2.36% |
| Asian | 381 | 1.81% |
| Black or African American | 250 | 1.19% |
| Native American | 33 | 0.16% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 15 | 0.07% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Asian
Black or African American
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 8,899 | 2.21 | 58.3 | 41.7 |
| Non Family | 4,088 | 1.4 | 34.2 | 65.8 |
| Married | 3,878 | 2.97 | 88.1 | 11.9 |
| Female | 614 | 2.7 | 42.3 | 57.7 |
| Male | 319 | 2.33 | 35.1 | 64.9 |
2.84
Average Family Size
2.21
Average Household Size
58.3%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 461 | 3.81% |
| Associates Degree | 1,132 | 9.36% |
| Bachelors Degree | 3,242 | 26.82% |
| Graduate Degree | 2,059 | 17.03% |
| High School Graduate | 3,136 | 25.94% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 91 | 0.75% |
| Some College | 1,967 | 16.27% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 10,900 | 10,555 | 4,798 |
| Hispanic | 599 | 426 | 133 |
| 2+ Races | 464 | 446 | 177 |
| Asian | 254 | 254 | 241 |
| Other Race | 169 | 32 | 11 |
| Black | 55 | 34 | 13 |
| Native American | 24 | 11 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 94.88%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $51,544 | $58,750 | $46,375 |
| Graduate Degree | $64,557 | $63,403 | $65,682 |
| High School Graduate | $33,268 | $37,202 | $27,148 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $14,000 | $18,106 | $0 |
| Overall | $47,429 | $50,470 | $44,065 |
| Some College | $41,346 | $48,510 | $33,783 |
$47,429
Average Earnings
$50,470
Average Male
$44,065
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
92.54% of Hays residents speak only English, while 7.46% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.86% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 17,264 | 3,115 | 18.04% |
| Hispanic | 1,390 | 572 | 41.15% |
| Other | 476 | 358 | 75.21% |
| Multiple | 887 | 159 | 17.93% |
| Black | 142 | 82 | 57.75% |
| Islander | 15 | 15 | 100% |
| Native | 17 | 5 | 29.41% |
19.89%
Overall Poverty Rate
19.89%
Male Poverty Rate
19.9%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Hays is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Hays is Multiple, with 17.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.68%. Among those working part-time, it was 48.5%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.11%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 49.8% |
| High School | 16% |
| Some College | 12.82% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.78% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 77.14% |
| Female Unemployed | 54.2% |
| Female Employed | 20.82% |
| Male Employed | 17.99% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $84,544 | $100,848 |
| Households | $56,861 | $78,895 |
| Married Families | $93,056 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $40,436 | $50,629 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
45.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
42.8%
Male Marriage Rate
47.5%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
638
Number of Veterans
598
Male Veterans
40
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 293 |
| First Gulf War | 103 |
| Second Gulf War | 88 |
| World War II | 39 |
| Korea | 34 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 218 |
| 65 to 74 | 192 |
| 35 to 54 | 103 |
| 18 to 34 | 69 |
| 55 to 64 | 56 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 622 | 4.03% |
| Black | 12 | 4.96% |
| Native American | 3 | 9.38% |
| 2+ Races | 1 | 0.15% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
17.41%
Veteran Poverty Rate
37.22%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
71.8%
Labor Force Participation
69.3%
Employment Rate
3.5%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
74.99%
Born in Hays
96.75%
Native Born
3.25%
Foreign Born
2.1%
Non Citizen
1.15%
Naturalized
96.75% of Hays residents were born in the United States, with 74.99% having been born in Kansas. 2.1% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 20,867 | -29 | -0.14% |
| 2028 | 20,896 | -29 | -0.14% |
| 2027 | 20,925 | -28 | -0.13% |
| 2026 | 20,953 | -29 | -0.14% |
| 2025 | 20,982 | -29 | -0.14% |
| 2024 | 21,011 | -29 | -0.14% |
| 2023 | 21,040 | -24 | -0.11% |
| 2022 | 21,064 | 6 | 0.03% |
| 2021 | 21,058 | -68 | -0.32% |
| 2020 | 21,126 | 321 | 1.54% |
| 2019 | 20,805 | -42 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 20,847 | -41 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 20,888 | -126 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 21,014 | -50 | -0.24% |
| 2015 | 21,064 | 67 | 0.32% |
| 2014 | 20,997 | -6 | -0.03% |
| 2013 | 21,003 | -36 | -0.17% |
| 2012 | 21,039 | 263 | 1.27% |
| 2011 | 20,776 | 259 | 1.26% |
| 2010 | 20,517 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 20,013 | 2,246 | 12.64% |
| 1990 | 17,767 | 1,466 | 8.99% |
| 1980 | 16,301 | 905 | 5.88% |
| 1970 | 15,396 | 3,449 | 28.87% |
| 1960 | 11,947 | 3,322 | 38.52% |
| 1950 | 8,625 | 2,240 | 35.08% |
| 1940 | 6,385 | 1,767 | 38.26% |
| 1930 | 4,618 | 1,453 | 45.91% |
| 1920 | 3,165 | -17,702 | -84.83% |