Hays, KS
Census place 2031100 · pop 21,143
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
20.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$58,459 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
58.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+1.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.23% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1499 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
238 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$225,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
42.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
42/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
11 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Not measured for Hays: Air, Bad air, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Hays, KS a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Hays scores 55/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is poverty rate. Kansas overall ranks #20 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Hays, KS?
- Hays reports 238 violent crimes per 100k and 1499 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Hays, KS expensive to live in?
- Hays has a median home value of $225,500 — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Hays, KS?
- Its weakest measured area is poverty rate (20.1%) — 18/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Hays, KS best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (11 min) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.