Hays, KS vs Great Bend, KS

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricHays, KSGreat Bend, KS
Population21,14314,479
Median Household Income$58,459$54,139
Median Rent$922/mo$759/mo
Median Home Value$225,500$133,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income55.5%36.9%
Poverty Rate20.1%16.9%
Unemployment Rate3% (county)3.7% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k254338
Property Crime Rate /100k1,0131,274
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs91°F89°F
Winter Lows22°F20°F
Snowfall13 in/yr12 in/yr
Avg Commute11.1 min14 min
Hospitals11
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 54.0 / 5
Students per Teacher16.313.3
College Degree Rate42.7%19.9%
Foreign-Born %2.9%7.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+0.5%-3.2%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.