Town · Montana
Plains, Montana
Plains, town, in Sanders County, Montana. Plains had 1,261 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 13.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,106 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,195 (±290). GEOID 3058150.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,261
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,106 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,195 ±290
Median household income
$25,491
±$8,554 (90% margin)
Montana: $72,509
Median home value
$248,300
±$118,802 (90% margin)
Montana: $375,800
Median gross rent
$843
±$44 (90% margin)
Montana: $1,081
Where is Plains and what county is it in?
Plains is a town in Sanders County, Montana. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 1,798 residents per square mile in 2020.
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 1,261 people lived in Plains on July 1, 2025, up 13.6% since 2020, faster than Montana (+5.6%). The 2020 Census counted 1,106 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,195 (±290).
| Measure | Plains | Sanders County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,195 ±290 | 13,285 | no clear change |
| Households | 631 ±158 | 5,451 | +187 |
| Average household size | 1.83 ±0.30 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 707 ±164 | 6,808 | no clear change |
Plains's population since 2000
From 1,126 in 2000 to 1,261 in 2025: up 12.0%. 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 43.3 years old; 11.0% are under 18 and 21.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.1%.
| Measure | Plains | Sanders County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 ±4.0 | 54.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.0% ±5.6 pts | 17.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.9% ±7.8 pts | 33.0% | – |
| Male | 48.4% ±8.7 pts | 51.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.1% ±5.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.7% ±7.6 pts | 88.3% | −12.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±2.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.8% ±3.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±1.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±3.0 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6% ±4.8 pts | 13.4% | – |
| With a disability | 20.6% ±9.8 pts | 23.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.4% ±7.1 pts | 13.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.6% ±5.3 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.4% ±7.2 pts | 21.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.3% ±3.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.7% ±8.1 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.0% ±6.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
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 631 households earn less than $25,491 a year (±$8,554), against $57,476 in Sanders County and $72,509 in Montana. In 2015-2019 the median was $40,804 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $15,313 after inflation. 31.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Plains | Sanders County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $25,491 ±$8,554 | $57,476 | −$15,313 |
| Mean household income | $74,089 ±$42,762 | $75,317 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,283 ±$22,423 | $32,019 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 31.2% ±12.8 pts | 15.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 40.2% ±36.8 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 35.8% ±15.3 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.9% ±5.2 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.9% ±14.2 pts | 87.8% | – |
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 53.1% of Plains's occupied homes and renters 46.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $248,300 by its owner (±$118,802). The median renter pays $843 a month including utilities, and 73.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Plains | Sanders County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $248,300 ±$118,802 | $359,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $843 ±$44 | $820 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 73.1% ±17.0 pts | 51.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,332 ±$304 | $1,430 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.1% ±14.1 pts | 81.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 46.9% ±14.1 pts | 18.7% | – |
| Housing units | 707 ±164 | 6,808 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.1% ±5.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.0% ±8.4 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 50.9% ±11.7 pts | 78.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 29.4% ±12.6 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.1% ±4.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5% ±5.0 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.8% ±8.0 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.1% ±14.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
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 do people in Plains work and get to work?
51.8% of Plains's workers drive alone and 15.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.0 minutes.
| Measure | Plains | Sanders County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.8% ±12.0 pts | 42.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 19.2% ±14.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 51.8% ±11.6 pts | 64.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.9% ±9.5 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.4% ±2.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 15.1% ±10.4 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.9% ±9.7 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.0 min ±7.0 | 22.0 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 1Sanders County | 4,411 | $62,712 |
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 Montana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Plains is the 9,415th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 50th-most populous of 127 in Montana.
Plains ranks 89th of 90 places in Montana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 50th | 127 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 10th | 53 |
| Residents per square mile | 25th | 93 |
| Median household income | 89th | 90 |
| Per capita income | 29th | 93 |
| Median home value | 51st | 89 |
| Median gross rent | 57th | 82 |
| Poverty rate | 9th | 65 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81st | 90 |
| Median age | 29th | 93 |
| Owner-occupied share | 83rd | 92 |
| Work from home | 11th | 46 |
| Travel time to work | 61st | 93 |
Plains's figures with every place in Montana (CSV)
Every place in Montana, 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?
20 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.