Signals
Hays
Liberal
Growth
30 · Bottom 18%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Climate
60 · Bottom 27%
vs60 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 36%
vs48 · Bottom 38%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 47%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
61 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Hays | Liberal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,920 | 21,486 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,084 | $63,827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,483 | $30,152 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 32/sq mi | 34/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,300 | $136,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $943 | $905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 61.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.9% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.9% | -42.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 21.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 134 mi | 144 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 15.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 31.0 | 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.
Liberal
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, hail.
Full profiles: Hays, KS Micro Area · Liberal, KS Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology