Hays County, Texas
Located in Texas, Hays County has a population of 268,638 residents and a median age of 34.1 years, making it the #269 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.1%. The median home value is $399,800, and the median household income is $89,097, which is 19% above the national median.
Demographics
Hays County has a population of 268,638, making it the #269 most populous county in the US. The median age is 34.1 years, which is 12.3% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Hays County is $89,097, ranking #325 out of 3,222 counties — 18.6% above the national median. The poverty rate is 12.1% and unemployment stands at 4.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hays County is $399,800 (+41.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,495/mo and the homeownership rate is 64.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hays County, 43.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 28.1% above the national average, ranking #198 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hays County is 79.4 years. 18.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 13.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.4% of adults in Hays County smoke , 34.4% are obese , and 21.7% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 11.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Hays County is 3.9 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 13.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 11.8 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
9.1% of children in Hays County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 3.9 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 12.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hays County is 68.2%. The mean commute time is 34.3 min, which is 24.4% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hays County voted Democratic with a margin of 5.6%. The vote was 52.1% Dem / 46.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hays County, Texas
Hays County, Texas has a total population of 268,638, making it the 269th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hays County is 34.1 years, which is 12.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hays County is $89,097, which ranks #325 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.6% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.1%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.4%.
The median home value in Hays County is $399,800, 41.8% above the national median. Renters in Hays County pay a median gross rent of $1,495 per month. The homeownership rate is 64.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hays County, 43.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28.1% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 34.3 min.
Hays County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 50.5% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (39.4%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (3.8%).
All data for Hays County, Texas comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.