Grow Hays

Hays Community Profile

With over 20,000 residents, Hays is the largest community in NW Kansas. Hays is the retail, education, and employment hub for the area. With amenities that rival a much larger city, easy transportation access, and a lower cost of living, Hays is an ideal location to settle down and raise a family, start or expand a business, or to retire.

Attractions in Hays

A variety of attractions draw tourists and those living in surrounding areas to Hays. This creates additional opportunities for businesses looking to expand in the region. These include –

• Old Fort Hays
• Sternberg Museum of Natural History
• Symphony Orchestra
• Hays Art Center Gallery
• Vibrant Downtown
• Wild West Festival and more events throughout the year

Education in Hays

Fort Hays State University is located here and they offer a variety of degree programs, including the ability for students to go to school online or earn their Master’s degree. This creates a built-in talent pool for businesses located in the area. Anyone requiring employees with an advanced education, will find a ready workforce that is both educated and hardworking. Many students enjoy living in Hays and welcome the opportunity to remain after graduation.

The primary schools are also highly rated and provide numerous possibilities for families looking for a safe place to raise their children that also provides them with a high-quality education.

Business Opportunities in Hays

Hays has shovel-ready sites available for virtually all business types. With a workforce ready and available for employment, this is an excellent area for businesses to locate. Since Hays is a growing community there is an increased demand in the retail and restaurant sector along with a demand for future housing. This creates unlimited opportunities for entrepreneurs, regional and national businesses to locate here.

Why Businesses Should Locate in Hays, Kansas

Hays offers a number of advantages for businesses.  There is abundant space, for either existing facilities or greenfield development.  With a location on both I-70 and a Union Pacific mainline, Hays is ideal for manufacturing and warehousing/distribution.  

Hays has fiber optic available across the community, and can deliver 10+ Gigabits of internet speed to any business. This makes the city an excellent location for entrepreneurs, startups and larger companies who heavily rely on the internet for communication and workforce production.

Industrial Bonds, Tax increment Financing, Tax Abatements, and training programs are all available to businesses located in or moving to Hays.  Companies with financing needs will also do well here, as we look for financing gaps and find ways to make the project work. This active approach has led to a number of new retail developments and restaurants.

Grow Hays also assists companies with their relocation needs.  In addition, the team at Grow Hays works closely with those same businesses as they grow and expand.

Join Us in Hays

Hays is a growing, progressive community with tremendous opportunity for continued diversification of industry and use of technology. With a wide variety of programs available to assist businesses starting up or expanding, locating here is an easy process. This is a wonderful place to raise a family and with so many amenities, it is an enjoyable place to live at all stages of life.