Hays County, Texas

Hays County
Hays County Courthouse, built in 1908 using the eclectic style of architecture
Hays County Courthouse, built in 1908 using the eclectic style of architecture
Map of Texas highlighting Hays County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°04′N 98°02′W / 30.06°N 98.03°W / 30.06; -98.03
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1848
Named forJohn Coffee Hays
SeatSan Marcos
Largest citySan Marcos
Area
 • Total680 sq mi (1,800 km2)
 • Land678 sq mi (1,760 km2)
 • Water1.9 sq mi (5 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total241,067
 • Estimate 
(2023)
269,103 Increase
 • Density350/sq mi (140/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts21st, 35th
Websitehayscountytx.com
Hays County Annex Building across from the courthouse in San Marcos
Hays County Veterans Monument in San Marcos

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.

  1. ^ "John Coffee "Jack" Hays".
  2. ^ "Hays County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ 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.