Signals
Jamestown
Hays
Growth
44 · Bottom 41%
vs30 · Bottom 18%
Climate
46 · Bottom 1%
vs60 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 23%
vs66 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 46%
vs95 · Top 47%
Access
12 · Bottom 4%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
60 · Top 39%
vs61 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Jamestown | Hays | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,549 | 28,920 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,856 | $63,084 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,731 | $37,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 10/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,400 | $216,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $774 | $943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 63.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 38.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 18.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 56 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 52.9% | -42.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 1°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.8" | 24.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 101 mi | 134 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 13.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 33.2 | 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
Jamestown
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, hail, cold wave.
Hays
Elevated or high exposure: hail, ice storm, strong wind.
Full profiles: Jamestown, ND Micro Area · Hays, KS Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology