Hays County | |
|---|---|
 Hays County Courthouse, built in 1908 using the eclectic style of architecture | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
 Texas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 30°04′N 98°02′W / 30.06°N 98.03°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1848 |
| Named for | John Coffee Hays |
| Seat | San Marcos |
| Largest city | San Marcos |
| Area | |
| • Total | 680 sq mi (1,800 km2) |
| • Land | 678 sq mi (1,760 km2) |
| • Water | 1.9 sq mi (5 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 241,067 |
| • Estimate (2023) | 269,103  |
| • Density | 350/sq mi (140/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 21st, 35th |
| Website | hayscountytx |
Hays County is a county in the central portion of the U.S. state of Texas.[1] It is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, its official population had reached 241,067.[2] The county seat is San Marcos.[3] Hays, along with Comal and Kendall Counties, was listed in 2017 as one of the nation's fastest-growing counties with a population of at least 10,000. From 2015 to 2016, Hays County, third on the national list, had nearly 10,000 new residents during the year.[4]
The county is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican–American War officer who fought the Texas- Comanche wars of the 1800s.
- ^ "John Coffee "Jack" Hays".
- ^ "Hays County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Zeke MacCormack, "Folks flocking to area counties: Kendall, Comal, and Hays are on the top 10 list", San Antonio Express-News, March 24, 2017, pp. 1, A11.