Hays County vs Jefferson County
A side-by-side comparison of Hays County and Jefferson County: population, income, housing, and more.
Hays County and Jefferson County are counties in Texas. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Hays County has the higher population (256,429 vs 253,939 in Jefferson County). Hays County has the higher median household income ($85,827 vs $59,934 in Jefferson County). Hays County has the higher median home value ($371,400 vs $159,600 in Jefferson County).
Population, income & housing
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 256,429 | 253,939 |
| Median age | 33.9 yrs | 37.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $85,827 | $59,934 |
| Median home value | $371,400 | $159,600 |
| Median gross rent | $1,417 | $1,079 |
| Housing units | 99,775 | 109,351 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 61.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.9% | 19.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 213,366 → 256,429 (+20.2%) | 254,340 → 253,939 (-0.2%) |
| Median household income | $68,717 → $85,827 (+24.9%) | $51,248 → $59,934 (+16.9%) |
| Median home value | $238,700 → $371,400 (+55.6%) | $112,800 → $159,600 (+41.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,154 → $1,417 (+22.8%) | $871 → $1,079 (+23.9%) |
Hays County
213,366256,429
$68,717$85,827
$238,700$371,400
$1,154$1,417
Jefferson County
254,340253,939
$51,248$59,934
$112,800$159,600
$871$1,079
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.8% | 6.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.8% | 17.9% |
| 18 to 24 | 15.3% | 8.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 14.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 13.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 11.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.8% | 9.1% |
| 75 and over | 4.1% | 6.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 51.3% | 37.4% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% | 32.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1.8% | 3.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 2.9% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39.1% | 23.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 15.1% |
| High school graduate | 21.2% | 32.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.4% | 33.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 27.1% | 13.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.8% | 6.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.8% | 86.7% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% | 7.5% |
| Public transit | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 16.2% | 3.1% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 64.7% | 70.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.4% | 2.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.5% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.4% | 12.5% |
| 20 or more units | 11.8% | 4.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 7.3% | 3.7% |
Poverty & households
| Hays County | Jefferson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 18.8% |
| Average household size | 2.63 | 2.55 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 31 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 2005 | 1976 |
Full profiles
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