City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Plains, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Plains - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,369
Residents
$65,417
Median income
$141,800
Median home
$1,252
Median rent (state)

Plains - the verdict

Plains ranks in the 43rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

43rd
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
41st
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Plains, PA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,369 residents in Plains, a small town within Pennsylvania. Plains households earn a median of $65,417 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.7%. Home values in Plains run a median of $141,800, and the median resident age is 43.4 years. 26.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 4 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Pennsylvania at 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,252 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Pennsylvania's average monthly utility costs around $260 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 91.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

4,369 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$65,417 /yr

Poverty 10.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Plains compare to other US cities?

Here's how Plains stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 43% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 41% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Plains against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Pennsylvania only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Poverty Rate sits close to the middle of Pennsylvania's city distribution

Among the 1,856 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Plains ranks #513 - the 72nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Plains only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#931 of 1,765
47th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Gross Rent
#1,019 of 1,865
40th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#1,125 of 1,790
37th percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#513 of 1,856
72nd percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#677 of 1,861
63rd percentile in Pennsylvania

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Pennsylvania only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

43rdIncome percentile

43rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Plains's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$141,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Plains $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Plains, PA Plains, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Plains, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Plains, PA median $65,417/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Plains, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Plains, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,369
Median Income
$65,417
Median Home Value
$141,800
Median Age
43.4
Poverty Rate
10.7%
Labor force participation
57.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.7%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.6%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
8.5%
Other
1.0%

Based on 2,035 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Plains sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,252/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Hamburg
4,377 people
McMurray
4,348 people
Minersville
4,391 people
Scottdale
4,392 people
Indian Mountain Lake
4,399 people
Glassport
4,400 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Plains's 4,369 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Whiteland, IN
4,369 people
Gang Mills, NY
4,369 people
Archbold, OH
4,369 people
Louisville, TN
4,369 people
Laguna Beach, FL
4,367 people
Mississippi State, MS
4,367 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Plains's $65,417 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wilsonville, AL
$65,417 median income
Fort Mohave, AZ
$65,417 median income
McNary, AZ
$65,417 median income
East Carondelet, IL
$65,417 median income
Ridott, IL
$65,417 median income
Minneola, KS
$65,417 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Plains, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Plains, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.1% 7.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.3% White 84.1% Black or African American 4.5% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 2.5% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 7.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Plains compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Plains (this city) 4,369 $65,417
Hamburg 4,377 $57,212
McMurray 4,348 $151,478
Minersville 4,391 $55,938
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Plains, PA?

What is the population of Plains, PA? +

4,369 people live in Plains, PA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Plains, PA? +

In Plains, the typical household earns $65,417 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Plains? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Plains; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Plains, PA? +

Plains's median home value sits at $141,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.