The Town FilesPlains, Kansas
City in Meade County · population 1,037 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $151,400
- Household income
- $71,136
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 26.6
Plains is a city of 1,037 people in Meade County, Kansas. The median home is worth $151,400, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). It ranks better for young professionals than 85% of Kansas towns, more upscale than 73% of Kansas towns.
How Plains ranks
Percentile among Kansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plains is worth $151,400, above the typical Kansas town ($128,200). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $71,136, which is more affordable than 52% of Kansas towns. Median rent is $778 a month. 72.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plains | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $151,400 | $128,200 |
| Median rent | $778 | $815 |
| Median household income | $71,136 | $63,857 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.1× |
| Homeownership | 72.7% | 73.7% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1964 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plains
| People | Plains | Typical Kansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.6 | 38.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.5% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 33.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 24.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.5% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 2.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 6.4% |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 89.2% |
Weather in Plains
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 18.6°F. About 23.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.0 inches of snow (typical Kansas town: 12.4 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 131 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plains since 1950, compared with 26 for the typical Kansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on November 16, 2015 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 25, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 88 times; the largest was 4.75 inches on May 31, 1999.
Severe weather in Meade County since 1996
Meade County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4824: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 25, 2022 | Snowstorm | DR-4654: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| February 17, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4640: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds |
| March 29, 2020 | Biological | DR-4504: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3481: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Meade County
Meade County had 1,544 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,614 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Plains itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Plains
1 public school with 119 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains Elem | 3-5 | 119 | 10.8 |
Towns near Plains
- Meade, KS13.6 mi · 1,505 people · home $121,700
- Sublette, KS20.6 mi · 1,413 people · home $160,500
- Fowler, KS23.2 mi · 534 people · home $108,300
- Montezuma, KS23.9 mi · 975 people · home $152,200
- Liberal, KS23.9 mi · 19,825 people · home $137,100
- Satanta, KS24.9 mi · 1,092 people · home $107,100
Plains questions
Is Plains, Kansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plains scores better for retirees than 41% of Kansas towns and quieter than 46%. 8.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.6).
How much does a house cost in Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Plains is valued at $151,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,136, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $778 a month.
What is the weather like in Plains?
July highs average 94.4°F and January lows 18.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.0 inches of precipitation a year and 16.0 inches of snow.
Does Plains get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on November 16, 2015. The typical Kansas town has had 26.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)