Census-designated place · Pennsylvania
Plains, Pennsylvania
Plains, census-designated place, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Plains had 4,293 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,153 (±545). GEOID 4261112.
Residents, 2020 Census
4,293
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 4,153 ±545
Median household income
$74,150
±$20,147 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$155,100
±$26,075 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$889
±$219 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Plains and what county is it in?
Plains is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 3,362 residents per square mile in 2020.
Plains is in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Plains lies entirely within 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 2020 Census counted 4,293 residents in Plains, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 4,153 (±545).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Plains is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Plains | Luzerne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,153 ±545 | 327,675 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,775 ±203 | 135,055 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.34 ±0.18 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,898 ±211 | 151,287 | no clear change |
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 42.8 years old; 17.5% are under 18 and 23.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.6%.
| Measure | Plains | Luzerne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 ±4.6 | 42.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.5% ±4.4 pts | 20.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.3% ±5.3 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Male | 52.4% ±4.5 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.6% ±4.4 pts | 17.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.3% ±5.6 pts | 74.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.4 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.9% ±3.0 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.6% ±3.4 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.4% ±4.4 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.6% ±3.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 22.2% ±5.4 pts | 16.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.4% ±4.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.7% ±2.6 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.2% ±5.9 pts | 25.3% | +7.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.3% ±3.7 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.9% ±5.0 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
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 1,775 households earn less than $74,150 a year (±$20,147), against $63,691 in Luzerne County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $67,202 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Plains | Luzerne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,150 ±$20,147 | $63,691 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $87,597 ±$9,438 | $86,447 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,627 ±$4,029 | $36,493 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.4% ±7.3 pts | 15.3% | +9.7 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 26.2% ±22.4 pts | 24.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.5% ±5.9 pts | 19.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.3% ±5.1 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.2% ±5.8 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 70.1% of Plains's occupied homes and renters 29.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $155,100 by its owner (±$26,075). The median renter pays $889 a month including utilities, and 27.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Plains | Luzerne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $155,100 ±$26,075 | $174,100 | +$35,723 |
| Median gross rent | $889 ±$219 | $1,004 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.5% ±13.5 pts | 38.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,324 ±$166 | $1,475 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.1% ±7.0 pts | 67.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.9% ±7.0 pts | 32.2% | – |
| Housing units | 1,898 ±211 | 151,287 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.4% ±3.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.6% ±7.6 pts | 64.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.2% ±2.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 40.0% ±8.0 pts | 30.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.5% ±3.5 pts | 9.5% | – |
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?
83.8% of Plains's workers drive alone and 7.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.6 minutes.
| Measure | Plains | Luzerne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.1% ±5.7 pts | 60.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% ±6.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.8% ±5.1 pts | 74.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.6% ±3.5 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.4% ±3.6 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.6 min ±5.4 | 23.5 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?
1 census tract lies mostly in Plains, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2119Luzerne County | 6,076 | $76,780 |
| Tract 2120Luzerne County | 1,809 | $63,158 |
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 Pennsylvania?
Plains ranks 1,201st of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 783rd | 2,159 |
| Residents per square mile | 325th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 1,201st | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 1,239th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 1,726th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 1,364th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 244th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 802nd | 2,129 |
| Median age | 1,239th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,554th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 1,469th | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,813th | 2,156 |
Plains's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, 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' school search.