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Hays, Kansas is a western Kansas hub of around 20,000 anchored by Fort Hays State University, the largest school in the region. It's the biggest town for many miles, so it pulls in students from across the High Plains and gives the area a lively college-town center. Campus sits on the south side, and student life threads into the surrounding streets and into downtown, where the historic Chestnut Street District, known locally as The Bricks, lines a walkable stretch of preserved buildings, shops, and gathering spots. The city carries its frontier history proudly, with the Sternberg Museum of Natural History on campus and the old grounds of Fort Hays preserved as Frontier Historical Park, a roughly ninety-acre green space with trails and a disc golf course.
Where many students live, putting you within a short walk of class and the residence halls.
Blends older homes with student housing and easy access to the Chestnut Street District.
Centered on the historic Bricks, drawing students who want to be near the shops and gathering spots while staying a quick trip from campus.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Hays.
Hays has limited public transit compared with bigger cities, so there isn't a large bus network to lean on. The town is compact enough that most students handle daily life close to campus without one. For trips beyond town, transit options are minimal. Many students treat a car as the practical way to reach groceries, jobs, or the wider region.
Most students get around on foot or by bike, and the flat, grid-like streets make both genuinely easy. The Fort Hays State campus is very walkable, and downtown and the Chestnut Street District sit a short walk or ride from the university. Many students live close enough to skip driving for class entirely. The flat terrain makes biking around town simple.
A car is genuinely useful here, especially for grocery runs, jobs, or exploring western Kansas beyond town, and many students do keep one. Parking is rarely a headache in a town this size. Student housing near campus typically includes parking. If your housing is near campus or downtown, you can still manage everyday routines on foot.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Hays is easy on the wallet by national standards. Off-campus apartments and rental houses often run roughly $400 to $800 a month, and sharing a larger place with roommates lowers the per-person figure further. On-campus residence halls are billed by the semester instead, so compare both before deciding.
Browse student housing near each Hays-area university.