Hays County, TX

County

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2024 Population

268,638

US Senator

John Cornyn

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Cruz

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

34.1

0.59% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

12.1%

0.958% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$89,097

3.81% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$399,800

7.65% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

140,594

5.87% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Hays County, TX reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

94.7% of the residents in Hays County, TX are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Hays County, TX are Texas State University (8,781 degrees awarded in 2023) and Total Transformation Institute of Cosmetology (54 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Hays County, TX was $399,800, and the homeownership rate was 64.1%.

Most people in Hays County, TX drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 31.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Hays County, TX was 2 cars per household.

Hays County, TX borders Blanco County, TX, Caldwell County, TX, Comal County, TX, Guadalupe County, TX, and Travis County, TX.

Photo by Lars Plougmann

United States Texas Austin-Round Rock, TX

Population & Diversity

Hays County, TX is home to a population of 269k people, from which 94.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 9.76% of Hays County, TX residents were born outside of the country (26.2k people).

In 2024, there were 2.51 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (136k people) in Hays County, TX than any other race or ethnicity. There were 54k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 27k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.7%

2024 Citizenship

94.7%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 94.7% of Hays County, TX residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Hays County, TX was 94.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Hays County, TX compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Hays County, TX

White (Non-Hispanic)
136k ± 1.33k
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
54k ± 3.59k
White (Hispanic)
27k ± 2.55k

39.4%

Hispanic Population

106k people

39.4% of the people in Hays County, TX are hispanic (106k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Hays County, TX as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Texas.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,397,739 ± 36,447 people
India
325,248 ± 13,925 people
El Salvador
221,729 ± 11,517 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Texas was Mexico, the natal country of 2,397,739 Texas residents, followed by India with 325,248 and El Salvador with 221,729.

Foreign-Born Population

9.76%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

26.2k people

9.45%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

24.2k people

As of 2024, 9.76% of Hays County, TX residents (26.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Hays County, TX was 9.45%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Hays County, TX compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
5,431 ± 781
Vietnam
3,383 ± 445
Gulf War (1990s)
2,656 ± 573

Hays County, TX has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.61 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Hays County, TX.

Economy

The economy of Hays County, TX employs 141k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Hays County, TX were Retail Trade (16,623 people), Educational Services (16,432 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (14,131 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($102,611), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($92,396), and Information ($91,528).

Employment

Occupations

141k

2024 Value

± 3,921

5.87%

1 Year growth

± 3.82%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Hays County, TX grew at a rate of 5.87%, from 133k employees to 141k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Hays County, TX, are Management Occupations (17,036 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (14,963 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (14,646 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Hays County, TX.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Texas (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

141k

2024 Value

± 3,921

5.87%

1 Year growth

± 3.82%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Hays County, TX grew at a rate of 5.87%, from 133k employees to 141k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Hays County, TX, are Retail Trade (16,623 people), Educational Services (16,432 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (14,131 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Hays County, TX, though some of these residents may live in Hays County, TX and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$56,149

Median earning men ± $3,167

$40,689

Median earning women ± $1,621

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($91,678), Information ($91,009), and Public Administration ($74,824).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($96,848), Public Administration ($61,824), and Manufacturing ($57,218).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

Y-Axis

4.59%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 13.8M people employed in Texas. This represents a 4.59% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 9.63%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Texas.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

529
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
490
Construction
311
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$556k
Retail Trade
$467k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$455k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Texas went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Jill Stein (0.726%).

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing the state of Texas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Texas is currently represented by 38 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Hays County, TX. Showing the available data for Texas.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.1%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (42.5%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.726%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Texas went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (42.5%), followed by Jill Stein (0.726%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Texas for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Texas

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Texas.

John Cornyn

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on December 2, 2002
Phil Gramm resigned (effective November 30, 2002) a few weeks before the expiration of his term in hopes that his successor, fellow Republican John Cornyn, could gain seniority over other newly elected senators. However, Cornyn did not gain additional seniority due to a 1980 Rules Committee policy.

Ted Cruz

Senator from Texas

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

John Cornyn and Ted Cruz are the senators currently representing Texas.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Texas over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Hays County, TX awarded 8,835 degrees. The student population of Hays County, TX in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 15,260 male students and 23,556 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Hays County, TX are White (3,925 and 45.4%), Hispanic or Latino (3,360 and 38.9%), Black or African American (667 and 7.72%), and Two or More Races (289 and 3.34%).

The largest universities in Hays County, TX by number of degrees awarded are Texas State University (8,781 and 99.4%) and Total Transformation Institute of Cosmetology (54 and 0.611%).

The most popular majors in Hays County, TX are General Psychology (508 and 5.75%), General Business Administration & Management (485 and 5.49%), and Kinesiology & Exercise Science (413 and 4.67%).

The median tuition cost in Hays County, TX for a public four year colleges is $8,606 for in-state students and $20,366 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Hays County, TX, the percentage of applicants admitted was 89.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 38,816 (39.3% men and 60.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 38,816 students enrolled in Hays County, TX, 39.3% men and 60.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 15,805 records, of which 63.2% were women and 36.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Kinesiology & Exercise Science
364 degrees awarded
General Psychology
508 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
391 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Hays County, TX was Kinesiology & Exercise Science with 364 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Hays County, TX according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Texas State University
8,781 degrees awarded
Total Transformation Institute of Cosmetology
54 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Texas State University with 8,781 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 3,338 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Hays County, TX, which is 0.607 times less than the 5,497 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,925 degrees mean that there were 1.17 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 3,360 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($8,606) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,844) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($790) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Hays County, TX was $399,800 in 2024, which is 1.2 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $371,400 to $399,800, a 7.65% increase. The homeownership rate in Hays County, TX is 64.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Hays County, TX have an average commute time of 31.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Hays County, TX is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 21% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Hays County, TX. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.471%.

Housing

Property

$399,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$10,271

$64,042

Median Property Taxes

±$2,021

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Hays County, TX the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Hays County, TX compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

64.1%

Homeownership

2024

66.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 64.1% of the housing units in Hays County, TX were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 64.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Hays County, TX compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$89,097

Median Household Income

± $2,532

99.8k

Number of Households

± 3,203

In 2024, the median household income of the 99.8k households in Hays County, TX grew to $89,097 from the previous year's value of $85,827.

The following chart displays the households in Hays County, TX distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Hays County, TX is from Texas.

0.475

2023 Wage GINI in Texas

0.476

2022 Wage GINI in Texas

In 2023, the income inequality in Texas was 0.475 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.208% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Texas was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Texas in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Texas across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (69.6%)
Worked At Home (18.1%)
Carpooled (8.57%)

In 2024, 69.6% of workers in Hays County, TX drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (18.1%) and those who carpooled to work (8.57%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

31.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Hays County, TX have a longer commute time (31.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.68% of the workforce in Hays County, TX have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Hays County, TX compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Hays County, TX distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Hays County, TX have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 21% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Hays County, TX. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.471%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Hays County, TX (31.6k out of 260k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Hays County, TX is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 9.1% of the children was living in poverty in Hays County, TX. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 244 in Hays County, TX. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 33 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

88.4% of the population of Hays County, TX has health coverage, with 55.2% on employee plans, 7.99% on Medicaid, 8.93% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 2.34% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Hays County, TX see 2,260 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,260 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2564 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 742 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,260 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Hays County, TX

Primary care physicians in Hays County, TX see an average of 2,260 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,260 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Hays County, TX in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.4% under 18 years, 27% between 18 and 34 years, 36.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.6%

Uninsured

55.2%

Employer Coverage

7.99%

Medicaid

8.93%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

2.34%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Hays County, TX declined by 2.2% from 11.9% to 11.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Hays County, TX changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 42.6 in Hays County, TX.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Hays County, TX.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34.4% in Hays County, TX.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Hays County, TX.