Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 218, founded in 1885.
Only 2 of the 58 Nebraska towns we compare have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Hayes Center. Hayes Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 229 in 1930, a peak of 361 in 1950, 224 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and a map from 1974 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hayes Center, 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 Hayes Center.
Most working residents leave Hayes Center for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in Hayes Center fell to 84 in 2023, 41 fewer than in 2013. At 23 minutes, Hayes Center’s average trip to work is above Nebraska’s towns (17 minutes) but below U.S. towns (25 minutes).
| Hayes Center | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 34% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Hayes Center Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes Center Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 94 | B |
| Hayes Center Secondary SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 65 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Hayes Center home is worth about $218,000, about the same as a year ago, 22% below the Nebraska typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Hayes Center has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. At 90°F, Hayes Center’s July high is above both the Nebraska town median (87°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Hayes Center beats the Nebraska average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 17% of Hayes Center adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Hayes Center | Nebraska towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 28% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 40% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 9.7% | 8.1% |
| What stands out | Hayes Center | NE |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 13.4% | 9.9% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8% | 6.1% |
| More adults who get no exercise | 31.7% | 24.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Hayes Center; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Hayes Center residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Nebraska.
Where Hayes Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Hayes County, Nebraska, United States
Hayes Center is a village in Hayes County, Nebraska, United States, which has served as that county's county seat since 1885. As of the 2020 census, Hayes Center had a population of 224.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hayes Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.