Hays County vs Smith County
A side-by-side comparison of Hays County and Smith County: population, income, housing, and more.
Hays County and Smith 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 238,014 in Smith County). Hays County has the higher median household income ($85,827 vs $71,923 in Smith County). Hays County has the higher median home value ($371,400 vs $220,800 in Smith County).
Population, income & housing
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 256,429 | 238,014 |
| Median age | 33.9 yrs | 37.4 yrs |
| Median household income | $85,827 | $71,923 |
| Median home value | $371,400 | $220,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,417 | $1,197 |
| Housing units | 99,775 | 98,672 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 69.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.9% | 27.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 213,366 → 256,429 (+20.2%) | 227,449 → 238,014 (+4.6%) |
| Median household income | $68,717 → $85,827 (+24.9%) | $56,810 → $71,923 (+26.6%) |
| Median home value | $238,700 → $371,400 (+55.6%) | $158,600 → $220,800 (+39.2%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,154 → $1,417 (+22.8%) | $941 → $1,197 (+27.2%) |
Hays County
213,366256,429
$68,717$85,827
$238,700$371,400
$1,154$1,417
Smith County
227,449238,014
$56,810$71,923
$158,600$220,800
$941$1,197
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.8% | 6.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.8% | 18.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 15.3% | 9.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 13.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.8% | 12.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.4% | 11.3% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 11.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.8% | 10.0% |
| 75 and over | 4.1% | 7.2% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 51.3% | 58.0% |
| Black or African American | 3.8% | 16.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 2.9% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39.1% | 20.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 12.0% |
| High school graduate | 21.2% | 24.9% |
| Some college or associate's | 28.4% | 35.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 27.1% | 18.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.8% | 9.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.8% | 79.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.2% | 8.3% |
| Public transit | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Walked | 1.7% | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 16.2% | 8.9% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 64.7% | 68.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.4% | 2.6% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.5% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 9.4% | 8.1% |
| 20 or more units | 11.8% | 4.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 7.3% | 11.1% |
Poverty & households
| Hays County | Smith County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 12.2% |
| Average household size | 2.63 | 2.83 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 31 | 23 |
| Median year structure built | 2005 | 1986 |
Full profiles
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