City · Kansas
Plains, Kansas
Plains, city, in Meade County, Kansas. Plains had 991 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,037 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,171 (±214). GEOID 2056100.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
991
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,037 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,171 ±214
Median household income
$71,136
±$4,860 (90% margin)
Kansas: $74,275
Median home value
$151,400
±$12,450 (90% margin)
Kansas: $217,200
Median gross rent
$778
±$14 (90% margin)
Kansas: $1,060
Where is Plains and what county is it in?
Plains is a city in Meade County, Kansas. It covers 1.0 square miles of land, 1,038 residents per square mile in 2020.
Plains lies entirely within West Plains Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Plains, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 991 people lived in Plains on July 1, 2025, down 4.5% since 2020, while Kansas grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 1,037 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,171 (±214).
| Measure | Plains | Meade County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,171 ±214 | 3,903 | no clear change |
| Households | 388 ±73 | 1,502 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.02 ±0.41 | 2.54 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 471 ±70 | 1,898 | no clear change |
Plains's population since 2000
From 1,163 in 2000 to 991 in 2025: down 14.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Plains as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Plains?
The median resident of Plains is 26.6 years old; 33.6% are under 18 and 8.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 55.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 43.6%. 22.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Plains | Meade County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.6 ±2.4 | 38.8 | −4.8 |
| Under 18 years | 33.6% ±5.0 pts | 26.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.5% ±3.2 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Male | 48.2% ±4.1 pts | 51.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 43.6% ±8.3 pts | 24.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 55.1% ±8.4 pts | 69.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 1.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 22.0% ±6.6 pts | 11.4% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 46.5% ±10.1 pts | 23.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.1% ±1.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
| With a disability | 7.3% ±3.3 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 16.0% ±6.1 pts | 10.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.3% ±6.9 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.1% ±6.7 pts | 26.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.2% ±6.1 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.6% ±6.6 pts | 86.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Plains earn?
Half of Plains's 388 households earn less than $71,136 a year (±$4,860), against $71,852 in Meade County and $74,275 in Kansas. In 2015-2019 it was $79,728 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Plains | Meade County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,136 ±$4,860 | $71,852 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $79,435 ±$8,535 | $108,362 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,625 ±$3,680 | $44,251 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.5% ±7.5 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 28.2% ±15.7 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.5% ±7.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.7% ±1.4 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.1% ±5.1 pts | 88.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Plains?
Owners occupy 72.7% of Plains's occupied homes and renters 27.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $151,400 by its owner (±$12,450). The median renter pays $778 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Plains | Meade County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $151,400 ±$12,450 | $148,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $778 ±$14 | $790 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 10.6% ±12.3 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,522 ±$239 | $1,637 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 72.7% ±8.7 pts | 74.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 27.3% ±8.7 pts | 26.0% | – |
| Housing units | 471 ±70 | 1,898 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.1 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.5% ±6.2 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.1% ±7.2 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 17.4% ±7.2 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.2% ±8.5 pts | 30.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.1% ±3.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Plains building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Plains in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.5 across Kansas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Plains work and get to work?
79.7% of Plains's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 15.2 minutes.
| Measure | Plains | Meade County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.5% ±6.6 pts | 60.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% ±3.0 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.7% ±7.1 pts | 73.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.0% ±5.7 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±5.4 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.3% ±4.9 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.2 min ±2.8 | 17.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Plains?
No census tract lies mostly in Plains; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9666Meade County | 2,509 | $73,490 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Plains) · Census block assignment files
How does Plains compare with other places in Kansas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Plains is the 10,293rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 194th-most populous of 625 in Kansas.
Plains ranks 192nd of 374 places in Kansas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 194th | 625 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 349th | 373 |
| Residents per square mile | 131st | 376 |
| Median household income | 192nd | 374 |
| Per capita income | 335th | 375 |
| Median home value | 217th | 370 |
| Median gross rent | 228th | 333 |
| Poverty rate | 25th | 266 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 279th | 374 |
| Median age | 363rd | 376 |
| Owner-occupied share | 239th | 374 |
| Travel time to work | 303rd | 375 |
Plains's figures with every place in Kansas (CSV)
Every place in Kansas, sortable · Compare Plains with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Plains?
19 of the 57 figures for Plains on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Plains are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Plains.