About Hays
Hays, KS is a close-knit town located in western Kansas with an estimated population of 21,213.
Hays holds the status of an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 8.74 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 2,427 residents per square mile.
📰 Hays News Today
- Matthew Thomas “Matt” Hull, 36 Hays Post · Aug 18
- Richard Sturdy Obituary Aug 2, 2026 Keithley Funeral Homes · Aug 2
- Doris Peterson Obituary (1935 - 2026) - Platte City, KS - The Hays Daily News Legacy obituary · Aug 18
- 410 W 6th St, Hays, KS 67601 Realtor.com · Aug 14
- Obituary for Merlin Joseph Romme haysmemorial.com · Aug 10
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Hays Unique
- A top-25 city in Kansas by population (#21 of 626 incorporated places).
- Positioned in western Kansas, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
- Part of the fabric of Kansas — one of 740 recognized communities statewide.
Why People Love It Here
- Big enough for services and schools, small enough to feel like home.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 21,213.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 10 miles.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Hays
- 7 Brew Coffee — coffee shop (café)
- Applebee's — american
- Billy Sim's BBQ — barbecue
- Breaks Eatery & Bar — breakfast
- Breathe Coffee House (café)
- Cattleman's Cafe (café)
- Defiance Downtown
- Hickok's Steakhouse — steak house
- IHOP — breakfast
- Imperial Garden — chinese
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🎡 Fun Things to Do
- Arcade 11
- Ellis County Historical Society · Museum
- Fort Hays Historic Site · Attraction
- Hays Aquatic Park · Water park
- Kansas Merci Boxcar · Museum
- Sternberg Museum of Natural History · Museum
Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Hays
- Airport Park reviews ★
- Bickle-Schmidt Sports Complex reviews ★
- Blue Star Memorial Highway Park reviews ★
- Hank Speier Ball Park reviews ★
- Hays City Boot Hill reviews ★
- Municipal Park reviews ★
- Rolling Hills Park reviews ★
- Vineyard Park Nature Area reviews ★
- Aubel Bickle Park reviews ★
- Custer Island Park reviews ★
- Daniel G. Rupp Park reviews ★
- Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Trails reviews ★
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Hays
- Hays High
- Hays Middle School
- Hays Virtual School
- Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy Elem
- Lincoln Elem
- Roosevelt Elem
- Woodrow Wilson Elem
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- Hays Medical Center ★★★ (3/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateKansas
TypeCity
Population (2024)21,213
Rank in state#21 of 626
Land area8.74 sq mi
Density2,427/sq mi
Coordinates38.8822, -99.3220