The Town FilesPlainview, Nebraska
City in Pierce County · population 1,282 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $96,000
- Household income
- $54,766
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 41.1
Plainview is a city of 1,282 people in Pierce County, Nebraska. The median home is worth $96,000, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). It ranks quieter than 71% of Nebraska towns, better for cycling than 70% of Nebraska towns.
How Plainview ranks
Percentile among Nebraska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nebraska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plainview is worth $96,000, below the typical Nebraska town ($154,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $54,766, which is more affordable than 82% of Nebraska towns. Median rent is $816 a month. 67.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plainview | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,000 | $154,800 |
| Median rent | $816 | $818 |
| Median household income | $54,766 | $66,320 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.7% | 73.2% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1963 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plainview
| People | Plainview | Typical Nebraska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 39.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.8% | 20.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 5.2% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 19.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 87.8% |
Weather in Plainview
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 10.5°F. About 29.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.1 inches of snow (typical Nebraska town: 28.6 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 150 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainview since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Nebraska town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 8, 1965 about 4.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 4, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 5, 2007.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 27, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4662: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4521: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3483: Covid-19 |
| March 21, 2019 | Flood | DR-4420: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| June 29, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4375: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 1,967 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,779 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Plainview itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Plainview
2 public schools with 365 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAINVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 215 | 14.3 |
| PLAINVIEW SECONDARY SCHOOL | 7-12 | 150 | 9.4 |
Towns near Plainview
- Osmond, NE9.6 mi · 794 people · home $132,400
- Creighton, NE9.8 mi · 1,147 people · home $98,000
- Wausa, NE16.1 mi · 592 people · home $85,900
- Pierce, NE16.9 mi · 1,845 people · home $179,400
- Bloomfield, NE18.4 mi · 986 people · home $92,800
- Neligh, NE19.8 mi · 1,536 people · home $150,600
- Verdigre, NE21.1 mi · 554 people · home $87,000
- Tilden, NE21.5 mi · 992 people · home $156,500
Plainview questions
Is Plainview, Nebraska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plainview scores better for retirees than 55% of Nebraska towns and quieter than 71%. 23.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Plainview?
The median owner-occupied home in Plainview is valued at $96,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,766, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $816 a month.
What is the weather like in Plainview?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 10.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.1 inches of precipitation a year and 38.1 inches of snow.
Does Plainview get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainview since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 8, 1965. The typical Nebraska town has had 23.
- 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)