Plains, Texas Demographics & Population 2026
Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology
During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Plains, Texas had a total population of 1,235, the 933rd largest town in Texas, with a median household income of $76,985, which is 2% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 15.5%.
Key Takeaways
- Housing is very affordable with a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x.
- Unemployment rate of 9.9% is notably above the national average.
Plains Quick Facts
How Plains Changed
Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.
| Metric | 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,242 | 1,235 | No clear change (-0.6%) |
| Median household income | $66,718 | $76,985 | No clear change (+15.4%) |
| Median home value¹ | $74,704 | $133,300 | No clear change (+78.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $864 | No clear change (+8.8%) |
How Plains Compares
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
- White: 36.4%
- Black: 0.0%
- Hispanic: 44.9%
- Asian: 5.8%
- Other: 0.0%
Diversity Index
A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.
State average: 67 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
- < High School: 18.0%
- HS Diploma: 23.7%
- Some College: 41.3%
- Associate's: 5.8%
- Bachelor's: 11.2%
- Graduate+: 0.0%
Plains Rankings in Texas
Explore Texas Rankings
Cities Similar to Plains
These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.
| City | Population | Median Income | Home Value | Bachelor's+ | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harper | 1,214 | N/A | $434,600 | 26.1% | 13.3% |
| Kempner | 1,215 | $75,357 | $249,200 | 13.2% | 2.5% |
| Carrizo Hill | 1,198 | N/A | $18,200 | 0.0% | 89.3% |
| Beauxart Gardens | 1,276 | N/A | $171,600 | 10.0% | 3.2% |
| Garrett | 1,260 | $79,792 | $125,800 | 4.7% | 3.1% |
Population Overview
Plains is a small community located in Texas, within Yoakum County. The total population is 1,235. It ranks as the 933rd most populous out of 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas.
Age Demographics
The median age in Plains is 32.4 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 35.6 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Plains is $76,985. This is 2% lower than the state median of $78,476. It is also 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.5%. This is 12% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.8%. The unemployment rate is 9.9%. This is 87% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $133,300. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $283,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Plains is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 62.6%.
Race & Ethnicity
Plains is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 36.4%.
Education
11.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 33.8%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 82.0%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All demographic data for Plains, Texas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Texas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,795 Census-designated places in Texas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.
Free data download: Get all Texas city and county demographics as CSV. Download Cities CSV | Download Counties CSV
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Plains, Texas?
Plains, Texas has a population of 1,235 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
What is the median household income in Plains, TX?
The median household income in Plains is $76,985, which is 5% lower than the national median of $80,734.
What is the poverty rate in Plains, TX?
The poverty rate in Plains is 15.5%. This means approximately 191 residents live below the federal poverty line.
What is the racial makeup of Plains, Texas?
Plains's population is 36.4% White, 0.0% Black, 44.9% Hispanic/Latino, and 5.8% Asian.
What is the median home value in Plains, TX?
The median home value in Plains is $133,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 1.7x.
How educated is Plains, Texas?
11.2% of adults (25+) in Plains hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 0.0% hold a graduate or professional degree.