The typical owner-occupied home in Hays is worth about $183,800, 36% below the North Carolina median of $288,900 and 45% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $912 a year in property taxes, about 0.50% of their home's value, lower than the North Carolina rate of 0.66%. The median household earns $55,035 a year, so the median home costs 3.3 times the median income (4.0 times for North Carolina). 94% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Hays at a glance
| Hays | North Carolina | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $183,800 | $288,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $912 | $1,896 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.50% | 0.66% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $55,035 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 94% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 63% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $953 | $1,631 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.7% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1991 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.5% | 12.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,053 | 10,730,404 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Hays
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Hays home of $183,800 with 20% down costs about $1,142 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,448, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $48,957 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Hays household income of $55,035; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $207,000.
| Down payment | $36,760 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $147,040 |
| Principal and interest | $989 |
| Property taxes (0.50% a year) | $77 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $77 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,142 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,433 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $180,471 |
| Principal and interest | $1,214 |
| Property taxes (0.50% a year) | $77 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $77 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $81 |
| Total per month | $1,448 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Hays
What is the median home value in Hays?
About $183,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Hays?
Homeowners pay a median $912 a year, which is about 0.50% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Hays?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,142 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $48,957 a year.
More about Hays
- Mortgage Refinance in Hays
- Debt Relief in Hays
- Home Equity Loans in Hays
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data