Hays County is a county in Texas, United States, on the northern edge of the Austin–San Marcos metropolitan corridor. It had a population of 241,067 at the 2020 census and covers 678 square miles (1,760 km2) centred near 30°04′N 98°02′W.
San Marcos is the county seat, and its postal code is 78666. The county has 8 incorporated cities and towns, 2 census-designated places and 1 village, and it does not use the civil-township system. Hays County is in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Hays County
Hays County has 11 named cities, towns, CDPs and communities besides the county seat, plus a scatter of small unincorporated crossroads. Incorporated places elect their own councils; CDPs and unincorporated communities have no city government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos | City · seat | — | 78666 |
| Kyle | City | — | 78640 |
| Buda | City | — | 78610 |
| Dripping Springs | City | — | 78620 |
| Wimberley | City | — | 78676 |
| Woodcreek | City | — | 78676 |
| Mountain City | City | — | 78640 |
| Hays | City | — | — |
| Belterra | CDP | — | 78737 |
| Driftwood | CDP | — | 78619 |
| Bear Creek | Village | — | 78737 |
| Niederwald | Unincorp. | — | 78640 |
Several names from older lists describe the same places under different labels: Hays City is the historical name locals still use for the small city of Hays; Pioneer Town, Fitzhugh, Henly, Uhland and Goforth are rural crossroads inside these place boundaries rather than separately incorporated communities, so they are not listed as their own rows. Austin itself lies in neighboring Travis County and is not a Hays County place, though its southern suburbs reach the county line.
ZIP Codes
- 78666 — San Marcos
- 78640 — Kyle (also serves Mountain City)
- 78610 — Buda
- 78620 — Dripping Springs
- 78676 — Wimberley (also serves Woodcreek)
- 78619 — Driftwood
- 78737 — Austin (also serves Belterra and Bear Creek, on the Hays–Travis county line)
The small city of Hays and the community of Niederwald share the Kyle ZIP.
Geography
Hays County sits mostly on the Edwards Plateau, with a small strip of the Texas Blackland Prairies in the southeast; the Balcones Escarpment crosses the county and separates the two landscapes. The Blanco River and the San Marcos River, fed by San Marcos Springs, are the county’s main waterways. Hays County borders Travis County to the northeast, Caldwell County to the east, Guadalupe County to the south, Comal County to the southwest, and Blanco County to the northwest.
Demographics
At the 2020 census Hays County had 241,067 residents. San Marcos and Kyle are its two largest communities. Median household income runs above the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting the county’s commuter-belt position between Austin and San Marcos. Population density is roughly 355 people per square mile, among the higher rural-adjacent counties in Central Texas.
Economy & Local Life
Texas State University in San Marcos is the county’s largest employer and anchor institution, drawing students and staff from across Central Texas. San Marcos Premium Outlets and Tanger Outlets bring regional retail traffic off Interstate 35, and the county has grown as a bedroom community for Austin, with logistics, healthcare and construction adding jobs alongside the university. Wimberley and Dripping Springs draw visitors for river recreation, wineries and craft distilleries in the Hill Country west of the interstate.
History
Hays County was organized on March 1, 1848, carved from Travis County, and named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger captain and officer in the Mexican-American War. The International-Great Northern Railroad reached San Marcos in 1880, and Southwest Texas State Normal School — now Texas State University — opened in 1899; its most notable graduate, Lyndon B. Johnson, finished there in 1930. From 2015 to 2016 the county added nearly 10,000 residents, ranking third nationally that year among the fastest-growing counties in the United States.
Getting There
Interstate 35 runs the length of the county through Buda, Kyle and San Marcos; U.S. Route 290 crosses the north end through Dripping Springs. Ranch to Market roads connect Wimberley and the western Hill Country communities to the interstate towns.
- Austin — 20 miles north
- New Braunfels — 20 miles south
- San Antonio — 50 miles southwest
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport — nearest commercial airport, about 25 miles northeast of San Marcos
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hays County?
Hays County is in Central Texas, directly south of Austin along the Interstate 35 corridor.
What is the population of Hays County?
241,067 at the 2020 census.
How big is Hays County?
678 square miles (1,760 km2), including 1.9 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Hays County?
San Marcos is the county seat and home to Texas State University.
How many towns are in Hays County?
Eight incorporated cities and towns, plus two census-designated places and a village.
What ZIP codes are in Hays County?
Main ZIP codes include 78666 (San Marcos), 78640 (Kyle), 78610 (Buda), 78620 (Dripping Springs) and 78676 (Wimberley).
Is Austin part of Hays County?
No. Austin’s city limits and downtown lie in neighboring Travis County, though the city’s southern edge and the 78737 ZIP reach into northern Hays County.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.