Hays, Kansas
Presidential margin, 2004–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 2004 | −28.4% |
| 2008 | −30.8% |
| 2012 | −40.7% |
| 2016 | −41.0% |
| 2020 | −35.5% |
| 2024 | −37.7% |
| Year | Won | Democratic | Republican | Other | Margin | Swing | vs U.S. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | 30.2%Harris2,832 | 67.9%Trump6,368 | 1.9% | R+37.7 | R+2.2 | R+36.2 | 9,377 | |
| R | 31.1%Biden2,991 | 66.6%Trump6,410 | 2.4% | R+35.5 | D+5.5 | R+40.0 | 9,628 | |
| R | 26.2%Clinton2,162 | 67.3%Trump5,547 | 6.5% | R+41.0 | R+0.3 | R+43.1 | 8,248 | |
| R | 28.5%Obama2,339 | 69.2%Romney5,682 | 2.3% | R+40.7 | R+10.0 | R+44.6 | 8,209 | |
| R | 33.4%Obama2,970 | 64.2%McCain5,702 | 2.4% | R+30.8 | R+2.4 | R+38.0 | 8,883 | |
| R | 34.7%Kerry2,991 | 63.1%Bush5,438 | 2.2% | R+28.4 | — | R+25.9 | 8,618 |
Hays is the commercial and medical hub of a vast swath of western Kansas, drawing voters from surrounding rural counties and giving its margins outsized regional influence relative to its modest population.
Across the recorded series it reached a Republican high of 41.0 points in 2016. Between 2020 and 2024 the city moved 2.2 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 37.7 points.
A population of 21,143, a 87% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $58,459 describe the city. The city's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Kearney and Box Elder.
The cities whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
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Hays, Kansas. Akashic. https://akashic.app/city/2031100/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.