The Plains, Virginia Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 164, The Plains's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

The Plains is a small community located in Virginia, within Fauquier County. The total population is 164. It ranks as the 591st most populous out of 681 Census-designated places in Virginia.

Age Demographics

The median age in The Plains is 45.6 years. This is 17% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 12.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in The Plains is $84,375. This is 9% lower than the state median of $93,170. It is also 5% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.5%. This is 44% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 0.9%. This is 80% lower than the state rate of 4.3%. The median home value is $555,600. Housing costs are 45% higher than the state median of $383,700. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 34.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 48% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in The Plains is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.5%. The Black or African American population (5.5%) is well below the state average of 18.3%. The Asian population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 6.9%.

Education

50.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 21% higher than the state rate of 42.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.3%. Notably, 19.4% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for The Plains, Virginia 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 Virginia state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 681 Census-designated places in Virginia. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.