Smith County

Hays County

Population Demographics

As of 2025 the population of Hays County is 28,733. The population is expected to shrink to 28,617 by 2030 - a growth rate of -0.08%.

The median age of Hays County residents is 35.

The diversity index of Hays County is 33.5, meaning that there is a 34% chance that any two people selected out of 100 residents will be of different race or ethnicity from one another.

Housing and Income

The average household income in Hays County is $85,171 and projected to be $93,810 in 2030. Per capita income is $35,588, projected to be $39,540 in 2030. 1.83% of households – 526 – have an income of $200,000 or higher. Average net worth is $690,878 and the average disposable income is $64,983.

There are 13,341 housing units in Hays County; 7,452 are owner-occupied, 4,486 are rented, and 1,403 are vacant. The average home value is $309,160, with 905 homes built in 2010 or later, and 1,695 built in 1939 or earlier.

Business and Workforce

There are 1,705 businesses in Hays County, employing 17,944 workers and pulling from a labor force of 16,274 age 16 and above. 1,266 workers commute into Hays County from outside the county or state. Key industries for the area include:

14,947 residents both live and work in/around Hays County. The average travel time is 13.0 minutes. 11.37% people have a commute of less than 5 minutes while 1.14% commute 90 minutes or more each way. Of commuters, 13,096 drive alone, 935 carpool, and 3 take public transportation. 1,261 use other modes of transport such as motorcycle, bicycle, walking, etc. 979 residents work from home.

4,941 members of the workforce hold a high school diploma or GED. 1,996 have associates degrees, 4,653 have bachelor’s degrees, and 2,607 hold a graduate or professional degree.

Source: ESRI, 2025-10-16