The Town FilesPlain View, North Carolina
Community in Sampson County · population 1,923 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $200,900
- Household income
- $53,636
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 47.0
Plain View is a community of 1,923 people in Sampson County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $200,900, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more of a college town than 93% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 84% of North Carolina towns, better for young professionals than 72% of North Carolina towns.
How Plain View ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plain View is worth $200,900, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $53,636, which is more affordable than 52% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $894 a month. 83.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plain View | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $200,900 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $894 | $969 |
| Median household income | $53,636 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 83.1% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plain View
| People | Plain View | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 21.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 35.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.1% | 89.5% |
Weather in Plain View
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 31.8°F. About 50.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.1 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 49 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plain View since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 16, 2011 about 7.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 242 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 19, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 5, 1997.
Severe weather in Sampson County since 1996
Sampson County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| March 3, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4588: Tropical Storm Eta |
Jobs and pay in Sampson County
Sampson County had 17,090 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,873 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Plain View itself the ACS puts it at 16.4%.
Towns near Plain View
- Spivey's Corner, NC5.4 mi · 576 people · home $85,400
- Dunn, NC5.5 mi · 8,446 people · home $193,900
- Erwin, NC8.4 mi · 4,542 people · home $161,100
- Benson, NC9.9 mi · 3,967 people · home $279,800
- Wade, NC11.6 mi · 638 people · home $215,000
- Newton Grove, NC11.7 mi · 585 people · home $149,600
- Bunnlevel, NC12.0 mi · 516 people · home $189,100
- Coats, NC12.8 mi · 2,155 people · home $125,200
Plain View questions
Is Plain View, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plain View scores better for retirees than 18% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 47%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.0).
How much does a house cost in Plain View?
The median owner-occupied home in Plain View is valued at $200,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,636, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $894 a month.
What is the weather like in Plain View?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 31.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.1 inches of precipitation a year and 2.1 inches of snow.
Does Plain View get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plain View since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 16, 2011. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- 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)