Hays County, Texas: commercial real estate data.
Hays County, Texas had an estimated 292,029 residents on July 1, 2024, up 21.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 241,069, across 678 square miles. County output reached $15.30 bn in 2024, 5,891 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 316 7(a) approvals worth $226.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Hays County
How many people live in Hays County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024268,638
- Households99,849
- Average household size2.69
- Median household income$89,097
- Median age34.1
- Median gross rent$1,495 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$399,800
- Home value to household income4.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher43.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree15.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over168,291
- Population under 1860,220
- Share under 1822.4 percent
- Population 65 and over32,662
- Share 65 and over12.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64175,756
- Civilian labor force147,110
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.6 percent
- Rank by population among Texas counties20th of 254
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included269th of 3,222
Hays County is the 20th largest of 254 Texas counties by population. A median home costs 4.5 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.4 percent against 12.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Hays County
Is Hays County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024292,029
- Census 2020 base population241,069
- Population change since the 2020 census base21.14 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202410,332
- Births, 20243,224
- Deaths, 20241,626
- Natural change, 20241,598
- Net domestic migration, 20247,430
- Net international migration, 20241,308
- Total net migration, 20248,738
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202438,356
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents13th of 3,144
The county has grown 21.14 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Hays County
Where are people moving to Hays County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving13,680
- People arriving, from those returns24,182
- Tax returns filed by households leaving9,852
- Net household movement3,828
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.43 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$664.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$104,368
- Average income of a leaving household$77,521
- Largest single originTravis County (5,379 households)
- Largest single destinationTravis County (2,369 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travis County | 5,379 | 9,886 | $696.2 m |
| Williamson County | 651 | 1,119 | $48.6 m |
| Bexar County | 575 | 876 | $32.6 m |
| Harris County | 445 | 691 | $42.2 m |
| Comal County | 421 | 649 | $31.6 m |
| Guadalupe County | 339 | 598 | $15.3 m |
| Caldwell County | 307 | 593 | $12.8 m |
| Dallas County | 179 | 298 | $22.6 m |
Households arriving report $26,847 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Travis County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Hays County
What is the Hays County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$15.30 bn
- County GDP, 2023$14.05 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.9 percent
- GDP change over five years68.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Texas areas BEA publishes27th of 254
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes324th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,967
Output grew 8.9 percent in the latest year and 68.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Hays County
Employment by industry in Hays County
- Covered employment, annual average95,598
- Establishments reporting6,330
- Average annual pay$54,838
- Average weekly wage$1,055
- Retail trade, employment14,142
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,182
- Accommodation and food services, employment12,387
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$24,576
- Health care and social assistance, employment8,648
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,776
- Construction, employment7,515
- Construction, average annual pay$73,565
- Transportation and warehousing, employment7,396
- Manufacturing, employment5,585
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 14,142 | 713 | $36,182 |
| Accommodation and food services | 12,387 | 554 | $24,576 |
| Health care and social assistance | 8,648 | 597 | $51,776 |
| Construction | 7,515 | 775 | $73,565 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7,396 | 111 | $50,330 |
| Manufacturing | 5,585 | 265 | $74,801 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 4,321 | 370 | $56,700 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 3,929 | 926 | $92,486 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 14,142 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Hays County
How many businesses are in Hays County?
- Establishments, all industries5,891
- Employment at those establishments76,995
- Annual payroll$3.58 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Hays County
Building permits in Hays County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20245,405
- Declared construction value permitted$1.31 bn
- Single family units authorized3,918
- Multifamily units authorized1,487
- Multifamily share of units27.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$243,011
- Units authorized per 1,000 households54.1
Single-family homes are 72.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Hays County
SBA loans in Hays County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded316
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$226.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$716,260
- Median 7(a) approval$323,900
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,973,250
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,547
- Jobs per approval11.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active86
- Distinct industries receiving approvals135
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer18.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms59
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter226
- Franchise loans67
- Franchise share of approvals21.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (12)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (37)
- 504 approvals recorded130
- 504 gross approval dollars$136.8 m
- Average 504 approval$1,052,546
- Median 504 approval$700,000
- Distinct CDCs active10
- 504 jobs per approval10.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.8
- Most active CDCCapital Certified Development Corporation (65)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$363.2 m
The average approval of $716,260 sits well above the median of $323,900, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 18.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hays County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Hays County
Do SBA loans in Hays County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded56
- Paid in full50
- Charged off6
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans10.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full50
- Status: Exempt from disclosure202
- Status: Charged off6
- Status: Cancelled38
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed20
Of the 56 loans that have reached a final outcome, 10.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hays County
SBA lending by place in Hays County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- Kyle, approvals70
- Buda, approvals59
- San Marcos, approvals51
- Dripping Springs, approvals51
- Austin, approvals37
- Wimberley, approvals30
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle | 70 | $51,552,000 |
| Buda | 59 | $38,053,300 |
| San Marcos | 51 | $45,174,100 |
| Dripping Springs | 51 | $31,556,100 |
| Austin | 37 | $29,443,600 |
| Wimberley | 30 | $23,079,400 |
| Driftwood | 16 | $6,940,600 |
| Bastrop | 1 | $289,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $250,000 |
Kyle accounts for 70 approvals against 59 in Buda. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Hays County
How large is Hays County?
- Land area678 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Texas counties220th of 254
- Width, east to west35.2 mi
- Height, north to south41.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land396
- Establishments per square mile8.69
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Hays County
Flood risk in Hays County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Hays County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 480321
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book14
- Of those, participating in the NFIP14
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Hays County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Hays County (community 480321), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Hays County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Hays County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Hays County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024268,638
- Households99,849
- Average household size2.69
- Median household income$89,097
- Median age34.1
Common questions
Hays County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Hays County, Texas?
The Census Bureau estimates 292,029 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 268,638, in 99,849 households, ranking 20th of 254 Texas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Hays County's population growing?
The population has grown 21.14 percent since the 2020 census base of 241,069, to 292,029 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,224 births against 1,626 deaths, with net migration of 8,738. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Hays County?
$89,097. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $399,800, which is 4.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,495 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Hays County?
5,891 establishments, employing 76,995 people with an annual payroll of $3.58 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Hays County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 14,142 jobs, 14.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 95,598 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,838, or $1,055 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Hays County?
316 7(a) approvals totaling $226.3 m since FY2020, across 86 lenders, with a median approval of $323,900, plus 130 504 approvals worth $136.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Hays County get paid back?
Of the 56 loans that have reached a final outcome, 50 were paid in full and 6 charged off, a charge-off rate of 10.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Hays County?
5,405 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.31 bn. Multifamily was 27.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Hays County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Hays County come from?
The largest single origin is Travis County, with 5,379 households. Arriving households report an average income of $104,368 against $77,521 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Hays County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Hays County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Hays County
Cities and places in Hays.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Hays County. All 14 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos | city | 70,897 | 51 | 87.7 percent here, 10.8 percent Caldwell County |
| Kyle | city | 56,823 | 70 | Wholly in this county |
| Buda | city | 15,859 | 59 | Wholly in this county |
| Dripping Springs | city | 7,405 | 51 | Wholly in this county |
| Belterra | CDP | 6,978 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wimberley | city | 2,891 | 30 | Wholly in this county |
| Uhland | city | 2,520 | None recorded | 86.1 percent here, 13.9 percent Caldwell County |
| Woodcreek | city | 2,333 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Niederwald | city | 1,029 | None recorded | 83.8 percent here, 16.2 percent Caldwell County |
| Mountain City | city | 787 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Creedmoor | city | 518 | 1 | 10.1 percent here, 89.9 percent Travis County |
| Bear Creek | village | 515 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hays | city | 198 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Driftwood | CDP | 28 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
A further 38 of the county's 316 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Hays County, the largest being Austin (37), Bastrop (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby