Population
304,390
2025
+24.8% since 2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. Resident population, July 1 estimate.
Hays County, TX: population growth, jobs and income
Hays County gained 10,051 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+3.4%).
Hays County had an estimated 304,390 residents in 2025, up 24.8% (60,406 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Texas as a whole (+8.5%), and the 6th fastest growth of the 246 ranked counties in Texas.
Data as of 2025 · updated
Data file: the tables in CSV and Excel, no PDF. 3 counties: adds Travis County and Comal County.
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In the Hays County report
One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Hays County plus 15 more figures, ranked against Texas and the U.S. Three of the 15, free:
- Median gross rent$1,495/mo2020–24
- Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes4.6%2020–24
- New homes permitted, last 12 months4,537Oct 2025 – Sep 2026
- Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
- Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
- IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
- IRS net movers: people, households and rateIn the report
- Households and housing unitsIn the report
- Homes built since 2010, share of all homesIn the report
- Private business establishmentsIn the report
- Residents who moved in; 3-year net migration rateIn the report
What's inside: 5 pages
- 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
- 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
- 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
- 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
- 5 Every source and the methods
Headline numbers
Net domestic migration
+7,545
2025
24.8 per 1,000 residents
+47,293 in total, 2021–2025
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025), 2025. People moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out.
Unemployment rate
3.4%
2025
+0.6 pts since 2019
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2025. Annual average unemployment rate.
New homes permitted (calendar 2025)
4,595
2025
−15.5% since 2021
15.1 per 1,000 residents
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.
Median household income
$89,097
2020–24
+29.6% since 2016–20
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–24. American Community Survey 5-year estimate.
Private-sector employment
76,995
2023
+21.3% since 2018
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023. Paid employees of private employers in mid-March (County Business Patterns).
What the numbers say
Net domestic migration added 7,545 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out. Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +8,318.
Private employers had 76,995 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +21.3% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).
Unemployment averaged 3.4% in 2025, 0.6 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).
Builders were authorized to start 4,595 new homes in 2025, or 15.1 per 1,000 residents.
Median household income was $89,097 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +29.6% since 2016–20.
Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 13th.
Part of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area.
Get Hays County’s next numbers by email
Email me when Hays County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Hays County population by year
| Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 304,390 | +10,051 |
| 2024 | 294,339 | +12,456 |
| 2023 | 281,883 | +12,329 |
| 2022 | 269,554 | +13,454 |
| 2021 | 256,100 | +12,116 |
| 2020 | 243,984 | – |
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.
What drove the change in Hays County
Hays County grew by 60,406 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+47,293).
| Component | 2025 | 2020–25 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural changebirths minus deaths | +1,794 | +8,080 | |
| International migrationfrom and to other countries | +773 | +4,642 | |
| Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties | +7,545 | +47,293 | |
| Census adjustmentbalancing residual | −61 | +391 | |
| Total change | +10,051 | +60,406 |
Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.
How it ranks
| Measure | In Texas | Among U.S. counties |
|---|---|---|
| Population growth | 6th of 246 | 13th of 3,107 |
| Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents | 16th of 246 | 64th of 3,108 |
| Private-sector job growth | 30th of 245 | 186th of 3,092 |
| Median household income | 22nd of 246 | 324th of 3,107 |
| Lowest unemployment rate | 48th of 246 | 849th of 3,108 |
| New homes permitted per 1,000 residents | 5th of 223 | 38th of 3,005 |
1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period. 246 of 254 Texas counties ranked by population growth (8 are too small to rank).
Get the county report — $99
The County Growth and Demographics Report for Hays County, TX as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. It has everything on this page plus 15 more figures for Hays County, ranked against Texas and the U.S. Pay once, no subscription.
Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Travis County and Comal County reports too, $149 for all 3.
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Neighbouring counties
Over 2020–25, Hays County's population change (+24.8%) was ahead of 4 of its 5 neighbouring counties and behind 1 (Comal County).
4 of its 5 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Hays County's $89,097 (2020–24).
| County | Population2025 | Population change2020–25 | Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025 | Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025 | Median household income2020–24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays County, TX This county | 304,390 | +24.8% | 24.8 | 15.1 | $89,097 |
| Comal County, TX | 209,166 | +27.8% | 35.5 | 8.3 | $101,889 |
| Travis County, TX | 1,389,670 | +7.2% | −4.7 | 10.8 | $99,611 |
| Blanco County, TX | 13,581 | +18.6% | 15.0 | 0.7 | $92,425 |
| Guadalupe County, TX | 201,111 | +15.8% | 23.6 | 8.4 | $92,375 |
| Caldwell County, TX | 55,150 | +20.0% | 34.2 | 8.0 | $69,758 |
Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.
Compare side by side:
Questions
Is Hays County growing?
Yes. Its population grew 24.8% between 2020 and 2025, about 60,406 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Most recently, between 2024 and 2025 it gained 10,051 residents (+3.4%). Texas as a whole changed +8.5% over the same years. That ranks 6th of the 246 ranked counties in Texas for population growth.
How many people moved to Hays County?
On net, about 7,545 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate). Counting international arrivals, net migration was about +8,318.
What is the unemployment rate in Hays County?
It averaged 3.4% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).
What is the population of Hays County?
About 304,390 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.
How many jobs are in Hays County?
Private employers there had 76,995 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +21.3% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).
What Beacon CRE covers in Texas
Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Texas county pages carry the public federal growth figures.
Hays County data alerts
Email me when Hays County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.
Sources and method
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns
Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.
Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.