Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Hay Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Hay Springs beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 378 in 1890, a peak of 1,091 in 1950, 599 in 2020. The archive holds 14 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hay Springs, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Hay Springs.
In Hay Springs, the rent at the middle of the market is $825 a month. Among 58 Nebraska towns, just 5 have a higher home-ownership rate than Hay Springs.
| Hay Springs | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $825 a month | $914 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Below: Three of its 4 schools, each with why it was picked. The Hay Springs Public Schools runs its public schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hay Springs Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 81 | A− |
| Hay Springs High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 59 | D |
| Hay Springs Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 45 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Among working residents in Hay Springs, 6% work locally, where Nebraska’s towns sit at 34% and U.S. towns at 8%. Jobs based locally fell to 114 in 2023, 131 fewer than in 2013. Hay Springs’ middle household income stands at $57,000. Half the trips to work are shorter than 26 miles.
| Hay Springs | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 6% | 34% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 9.1% | 11% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The range runs from 14° on a January night to 86° on a July afternoon, with about 50 inches of snow a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Hay Springs’ FEMA risk score is 61 of 100, above both Nebraska’s towns (55 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 25% come from inland flooding and 23% from wildfires.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
No town among the 58 in Nebraska we compare has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Hay Springs. In Hay Springs, 34% of adults get no exercise outside work, and 16% have been diagnosed with depression. Just over a third of Hay Springs adults have obesity. Only 4 of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Hay Springs.
| Hay Springs | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 34% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 28% | 25% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 17% |
| What stands out | Hay Springs | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 16% | 19.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.1% | 77.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.9% | 6.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Hay Springs; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Hay Springs residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
Where Hay Springs’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Nebraska, United States
Hay Springs is a city in Sheridan County in the state of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The population was 570 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hay Springs has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.