Signals
Hays
Fairmont
Growth
30 · Bottom 18%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Climate
60 · Bottom 27%
vs53 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 36%
vs81 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 47%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs11 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
61 · Top 38%
vs63 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Hays | Fairmont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,920 | 19,780 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,084 | $59,507 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,483 | $37,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 32/sq mi | 28/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,300 | $163,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $943 | $761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.9% | -16.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 29.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 134 mi | 103 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 18.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 43.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hays
Elevated or high exposure: hail, ice storm, strong wind.
Fairmont
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Hays, KS Micro Area · Fairmont, MN Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology