The Town FilesPlains, Texas
Town in Yoakum County · population 1,355 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,300
- Household income
- $76,985
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 32.4
Plains is a town of 1,355 people in Yoakum County, Texas. The median home is worth $133,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Texas towns.
How Plains ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plains is worth $133,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $76,985, which is more affordable than 88% of Texas towns. Median rent is $864 a month. 76.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plains | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $864 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $76,985 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 76.4% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plains
| People | Plains | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.3% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.2% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.5% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 3.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.2% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Plains
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 24.5°F. About 16.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.7 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 89 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plains since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 15, 1957 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 27, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 17, 2008.
Severe weather in Yoakum County since 1996
Yoakum County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3458: Covid-19 |
| March 14, 2008 | Fire | EM-3284: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Yoakum County
Yoakum County had 3,378 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,119 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Plains itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in Plains
3 public schools with 421 students, about 9.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAINS EL | PK-5 | 193 | 9.7 |
| PLAINS H S | 9-12 | 134 | 7.4 |
| PLAINS MIDDLE | 6-8 | 94 | 10.4 |
Towns near Plains
- Denver City, TX15.2 mi · 4,470 people · home $172,800
- Seagraves, TX22.6 mi · 2,153 people · home $68,400
- Sundown, TX26.7 mi · 1,283 people · home $96,400
- Tatum, NM28.7 mi · 706 people · home $111,200
Plains questions
Is Plains, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plains scores better for retirees than 61% of Texas towns and quieter than 60%. 14.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Plains is valued at $133,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,985, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $864 a month.
What is the weather like in Plains?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 24.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.2 inches of precipitation a year and 2.7 inches of snow.
Does Plains get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 15, 1957. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)