Signals
Hays
Jamestown
Growth
30 · Bottom 18%
vs44 · Bottom 41%
Climate
60 · Bottom 27%
vs46 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 47%
vs96 · Top 46%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs12 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
61 · Top 38%
vs60 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Hays | Jamestown | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,920 | 21,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,084 | $61,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,483 | $39,731 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 32/sq mi | 10/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,300 | $208,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $943 | $774 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 63.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 25.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.9% | 52.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 1°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 19.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 134 mi | 101 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 15.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 41.1 | 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.
Jamestown
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, hail, cold wave.
Full profiles: Hays, KS Micro Area · Jamestown, ND Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology