Town · Texas
Plains, Texas
Plains, town, in Yoakum County, Texas. Plains had 1,323 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,355 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,235 (±354). GEOID 4857968.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,323
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,355 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,235 ±354
Median household income
$76,985
±$9,785 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$133,300
±$62,250 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$864
±$44 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Plains and what county is it in?
Plains is a town in Yoakum County, Texas. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 905 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 1,323 people lived in Plains on July 1, 2025, down 2.4% since 2020, while Texas grew 8.8%. The 2020 Census counted 1,355 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,235 (±354).
| Measure | Plains | Yoakum County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,235 ±354 | 7,571 | no clear change |
| Households | 508 ±152 | 2,612 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.43 ±0.55 | 2.87 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 620 ±163 | 3,028 | no clear change |
Plains's population since 2000
From 1,450 in 2000 to 1,323 in 2025: down 8.8%. 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 32.4 years old. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 44.9%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 36.4%. 14.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Plains | Yoakum County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 ±20.1 | 32.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.2% ±10.5 pts | 32.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.3% ±9.5 pts | 12.8% | – |
| Male | 41.9% ±9.5 pts | 53.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 44.9% ±14.7 pts | 65.6% | −29.8 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 36.4% ±15.8 pts | 31.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.7% ±5.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 13.0% ±5.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.2% ±8.1 pts | 22.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 36.0% ±14.8 pts | 53.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±3.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| With a disability | 19.4% ±8.5 pts | 13.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 24.9% ±13.9 pts | 22.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.0% ±7.7 pts | 74.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.2% ±8.1 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.4% ±9.1 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 508 households earn less than $76,985 a year (±$9,785), against $84,925 in Yoakum County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $66,717 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Plains | Yoakum County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,985 ±$9,785 | $84,925 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $88,112 ±$15,755 | $100,641 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,662 ±$9,103 | $36,271 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.5% ±10.5 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.6% ±12.9 pts | 26.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.6% ±2.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±9.4 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.6% ±2.3 pts | 96.2% | – |
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 76.4% of Plains's occupied homes and renters 23.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $133,300 by its owner (±$62,250). The median renter pays $864 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Plains | Yoakum County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $133,300 ±$62,250 | $182,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $864 ±$44 | $973 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 14.4% ±19.8 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,327 ±$104 | $1,619 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 76.4% ±14.1 pts | 66.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 23.6% ±14.1 pts | 33.2% | – |
| Housing units | 620 ±163 | 3,028 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.5% ±2.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±32.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.7% ±14.2 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 22.3% ±14.2 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.8% ±3.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.4% ±5.7 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
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 6.6 across Texas.
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?
90.9% of Plains's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 28.8 minutes.
| Measure | Plains | Yoakum County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.4% ±13.7 pts | 60.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.9% ±9.1 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 90.9% ±8.1 pts | 78.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.1% ±8.1 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.8 min ±9.3 | 26.0 min | +10.3 min |
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 9501Yoakum County | 1,765 | $76,544 |
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 Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Plains is the 9,238th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 733rd-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Plains ranks 343rd of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 733rd | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 678th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 585th | 979 |
| Median household income | 343rd | 933 |
| Per capita income | 434th | 978 |
| Median home value | 695th | 950 |
| Median gross rent | 681st | 852 |
| Median age | 776th | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 364th | 973 |
| Travel time to work | 333rd | 976 |
Plains's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, 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?
25 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.