Hay Springs, Nebraska Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 649, Hay Springs's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Hay Springs is a small community located in Nebraska, within Sheridan County. The total population is 649. It ranks as the 176th most populous out of 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hay Springs is 53.4 years. This is 44% higher than the state median of 37.2 years. 11.7% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hay Springs is $57,031. This is 25% lower than the state median of $76,475. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.1%. This is 14% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Hay Springs, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $87,900. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.5x, Hay Springs is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Hay Springs has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.8% of all residents. Asian residents account for 0.5%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

12.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 63% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Hay Springs, Nebraska is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Nebraska state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 583 Census-designated places in Nebraska. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.