Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Hays, KS

    Is Hays a good place to live?

    Watch Hays

    Hays ranks #8 of 17 Kansas cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (45/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $220,100
    +4.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $890
    per month
    Household income
    $56,861
    median
    Unemployment
    3.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Hays

    The median home value in Hays is $220,100 and median rent is $890 a month, against a median household income of $56,861. Homes cost about 3.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Hays crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Kansas the 2025 rate was 476 violent and 1,922 property crimes per 100,000 people — #6 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Hays, KS

    Hays has about 21,078 residents, 3.5% unemployment and 27% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Hays with

    Hays vs WichitaHays vs Overland ParkHays vs Kansas CityHays vs OlatheHays vs TopekaHays vs LawrenceHays vs ShawneeHays vs Lenexa

    More: Where to move in Kansas · Best counties in Kansas

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report