Market Overview for Hays

There are 1 active listings in Hays with a median list price of $390K and a median sold price of $405K.

Over the past 30 days, 0 homes have sold, with 3 sales in the past 12 months.

The average price per square foot is $278.

About Hays

Hays is a tiny unincorporated community of approximately 300 residents in Hays County, located near the Kyle and Buda area south of Austin. The community should not be confused with Hays County itself, of which it is a small part. Hays sits along FM 2001 and local roads in the corridor between Kyle and the Caldwell County line. The area is flat to gently rolling Blackland Prairie, and the community has no downtown or commercial center. The name predates the county's formation and reflects early settler families in the area.

Real estate in and around the Hays community consists primarily of rural lots, older farmhouses, and scattered newer homes. Properties range from $200K for modest homes to $400K for houses on acreage. Small tracts of 2 to 10 acres are available from $150K to $300K. The area benefits from proximity to Kyle and Buda while maintaining a distinctly rural feel. Some new subdivision development from the Kyle-Buda growth corridor has begun to reach the edges of the community.

Hays is served by Hays Consolidated Independent School District, which enrolls approximately 22,000 students. Students attend Hays CISD campuses in Kyle and Buda, with elementary, middle, and high school options. The district has five high schools and has built multiple new campuses in recent years. The nearest schools to the Hays community are in Kyle, a short drive to the north or west.

The community is approximately 25 miles south of downtown Austin via I-35, which is accessible about 5 minutes west. SH-130 toll road runs nearby, providing a faster route to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Kyle and Buda, both about 5-10 minutes away, provide grocery stores, restaurants, medical offices, and retail shopping. The area's affordability and proximity to the I-35 corridor make it attractive to commuters working in Austin or San Marcos.

Living in Hays

The city of Hays has roughly 300 residents in Hays County near Kyle, making it one of the smallest incorporated municipalities in the Austin metro area. Its population has remained relatively stable over the past decade even as surrounding areas experienced rapid growth from the I-35 south corridor boom. The community is primarily residential, with most households consisting of families and long-term landowners who have held property in the area for years. Property sizes tend to be larger than in the nearby subdivisions of Kyle and Buda, and the housing stock includes a mix of older ranch-style homes, some manufactured homes, and scattered newer construction. The demographic profile is predominantly white and Hispanic, with moderate household incomes.

Daily routines in Hays involve regular trips to Kyle or Buda for groceries at H-E-B, dining, medical appointments, and other services, as the city itself has almost no commercial establishments. Children in the area attend Hays CISD schools located in neighboring Kyle, including campuses for elementary, middle, and high school students. The community's small size means there are no local parks or public amenities within the city limits, but Kyle's parks and the Plum Creek trail system are a short drive away. I-35 runs nearby, providing a direct commute route to Austin (roughly 25 minutes north) or San Marcos (15 minutes south). Residents choose Hays for its quiet atmosphere, larger lots, and property prices that run lower than Kyle's newer master-planned developments.