City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

Hay Springs, NE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Hay Springs - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

659
Residents
$45,833
Median income
$91,900
Median home
$961
Median rent (state)

Hay Springs - the verdict

Nationally, Hay Springs sits in the 14th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

14th
percentile, household income
7th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Hay Springs, NE

Hay Springs is a small town in Nebraska, home to 659 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Hay Springs households earn a median of $45,833 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Typical homes in Hay Springs are valued around $91,900, and the median resident age is 53.8 years. Educational attainment runs 13.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 0 residential building permits were authorized in Hay Springs (No Permits), per Census BPS data. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 46.7°F with 17.5 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Nebraska scores 90.1 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $961 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Nebraska's average monthly utility costs around $207 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 13.4 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

659 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$45,833 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does Hay Springs compare to other US cities?

Here's how Hay Springs stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 7% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hay Springs's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Nebraska, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

14thIncome percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Hay Springs's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$91,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 93% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hay Springs $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Hay Springs, NE Hay Springs, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hay Springs, NE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Hay Springs, NE median $45,833/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Hay Springs, NE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Hay Springs, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
659
Median Income
$45,833
Median Home Value
$91,900
Median Age
53.8
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.7%

Climate

Avg Temperature
46.7°F
Annual Precipitation
17.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
540 residents560 residents580 residents600 residents620 residents 202020212022202320242025 597 residents 555 residents ▼ -7.0%
Hay Springs's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
63.3%
Carpool
12.9%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
16.6%
Work from Home
3.4%
Other
1.9%

Based on 319 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Nebraska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Hay Springs sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$961/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
13.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Glenwood
663 people
Duncan
650 people
Hershey
671 people
Paxton
643 people
Overton
676 people
Palmyra
642 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hay Springs's 659 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rough and Ready, CA
659 people
Gaylordsville, CT
659 people
Emily, MN
659 people
Claysville, PA
659 people
North Philipsburg, PA
659 people
Blanchardville, WI
659 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hay Springs's $45,833 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Westley, CA
$45,833 median income
Mayo, FL
$45,833 median income
Matthews, IN
$45,833 median income
Marydel, MD
$45,833 median income
Twin Lakes, MN
$45,833 median income
Argyle, MO
$45,833 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hay Springs, NE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Hay Springs, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 95.5% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Hay Springs compares to nearby Nebraska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Hay Springs (this city) 659 $45,833
Glenwood 663 N/A
Duncan 650 $58,875
Hershey 671 $79,375
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hay Springs, NE?

What is the population of Hay Springs, NE? +

Hay Springs, NE counts 659 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hay Springs, NE? +

The median household income in Hay Springs is $45,833 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hay Springs? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hay Springs; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Hay Springs, NE? +

A typical home in Hay Springs is worth $91,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Hay Springs? +

The average annual temperature in Hay Springs runs 46.7°F, 17.5 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.