Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Hays, Kansas
A $220,000 home here costs
$1,938per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $83,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,199. The real number is $738 higher every month, 62% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Ellis County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Hays against Ellis County and Kansas
| Measure | Hays | Ellis County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,100 | $211,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,681 | $2,582 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.218% | 1.223% |
| Median gross rent | $890 | $899 |
| Population | 21,078 | 28,870 |
The weather behind that power bill
Hays sits in Ellis County, which averages a high of 93.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.0°F in its coldest, with 24.84" of precipitation a year and 44% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,546 cooling and 4,935 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ellis County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ellis County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Hays averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Hays every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Hays?
A $220,000 home in Hays, Kansas costs approximately $1,938 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,199 principal and interest, $223 property tax, $128 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $183 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Hays?
Hays has an effective property tax rate of 1.218%, based on a median home value of $220,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,681. That is in line with the Ellis County average of 1.223%.
What is the average home price in Hays?
The median owner-occupied home value in Hays, Kansas is $220,100, against $211,100 across Ellis County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hays?
Median gross rent in Hays is $890 a month, against $1,938 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Hays?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Hays, Kansas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $83,000 a year. That covers the full $1,938 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Hays, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.