Hays receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hays
Pendleton
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 44%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
32 · Bottom 19%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs67 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | Hays | Pendleton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,143 | 16,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,459 | $66,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,657 | $31,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,419/sq mi | 1,464/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,500 | $287,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $922 | $956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 56.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.7% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 19 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -58.8% | 72.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 12.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 133 mi | 109 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 12.1 min | 15.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.2 | 36.9 | 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.
Pendleton
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Hays, KS · Pendleton, OR · How this is calculated: methodology