Hays County, Texas
Among the top 24% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
- top 6% for airport distance
- top 8% for broadband access
- bottom 5% for property tax rate
Hays County is a county in Texas with about 245,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, broadband access, and income tax. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and property tax rate.
Official websitehayscountytx.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Sweltering, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
sweltering
hot
warm
comf.
cool
71%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.8 in2.5 in
muggy 65%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$54kbetter than 12% of US counties
Home Value$336k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 7% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 6% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.85%better than 5% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax8.20%better than 32% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.45%better than 33% of US counties
Unemployment5.1%better than 43% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)51°F91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)85°F97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation38.7 in40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.1 inbetter than 88% of US counties
Sunny Days195 daysbetter than 14% of US counties
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 22% of US counties
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 86% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk90.6better than 9% of US counties
School Quality50.9better than 42% of US counties
Violent Crime1187/100kbetter than 26% of US counties
Property Crime1445/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Community
Population245,35191st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4674th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0049th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1112th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)50.7%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.5%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)40.3%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.6%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.9%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 12% of US counties
Walkability6.6/20better than 67% of US counties
Airport Distance23 mibetter than 94% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.1%better than 92% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.08better than 24% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 80% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hays County an affordable place to live?
- Hays County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $54k, better than 12% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Hays County?
- The median home value in Hays County is $336k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Hays County?
- Median household income in Hays County is $80k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Hays County?
- Median gross rent in Hays County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Hays County safe?
- Hays County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1187/100k (better than 26%). Property crime is 1445/100k.
- What is the weather like in Hays County?
- Hays County averages 85°F in July and 51°F in January, with 38.7 in of annual precipitation and about 195 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Hays County?
- Public-school quality in Hays County is about average, scoring better than 42% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Hays County?
- The average one-way commute in Hays County is 31 min.
Other counties in Texas
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)