How dark is the sky in Hays, KS?

Hays reads as suburban on this dataset's scale. Light dome dominates much of the sky. Only the brightest stars and planets stand out clearly. Only 66.1% of the 3,206 cities measured here read darker than Hays.

Worth remembering: this is satellite radiance, not a ground observation. A true Bortle rating needs a human eye at night, this is the closest large-scale substitute.

How far Hays is from a meaningfully darker sky

The closest place in this dataset with a meaningfully darker sky is Newton, KS, roughly 122 miles away in a straight line, rated suburban edge. Road distance will be more.

Newton, KS is itself still a measured city, not a designated dark-sky park, this only compares against the 3,206 places this dataset covers.

Hays against the rest of the dataset

Hays, KS has a population of about 21,213, one of 3,206 US cities of 10,000 or more residents in this dataset. Among all 3,206 cities here, Hays ranks 2,110 from darkest to brightest, 1 being the darkest measured.