The Town FilesPlainview, Texas
City in Hale County · population 20,187 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,000
- Household income
- $44,768
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 53
- Median age
- 32.7
Plainview is a city of 20,187 people in Hale County, Texas. The median home is worth $113,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks more vibrant than 91% of Texas towns, more walkable than 88% of Texas towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Texas towns.
How Plainview 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 Plainview is worth $113,000, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $44,768, which is more affordable than 66% of Texas towns. Median rent is $851 a month. 52.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plainview | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,000 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $851 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $44,768 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 52.6% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Plainview
| People | Plainview | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.5% | 89.2% |
Weather in Plainview
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 26.1°F. About 19.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.2 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 77 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 92 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainview since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 17, 1970 about 0.8 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 151 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 3, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 88 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 9, 1979.
Severe weather in Hale County since 1996
Hale County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Hale County
Hale County had 10,866 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,708 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Plainview itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Plainview
12 public schools with 4,504 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAINVIEW H S | 9-12 | 1,430 | 12.8 |
| PLAINVIEW J H | 7-8 | 689 | 14.1 |
| PLAINVIEW INT | 5-6 | 609 | 13.8 |
| CENTRAL EL | PK-4 | 541 | 15.5 |
| NORTH EL | PK-4 | 520 | 16.8 |
| SOUTH EL | PK-4 | 478 | 15.9 |
| PLAINVIEW CLASSICAL ACADEMY (charter) | K-12 | 213 | 15.2 |
| HALE COUNTY JJAEP | 7-11 | 10 | — |
| DAEP | 6-12 | 8 | — |
| ABERNATHY DAEP | 8-12 | 5 | — |
| LOCKNEY DAEP | 7-7 | 1 | — |
| FLOYDADA ISD JJAEP | 4-12 | — | — |
Towns near Plainview
- Tulia, TX24.1 mi · 4,473 people · home $81,100
- Abernathy, TX26.2 mi · 2,865 people · home $176,400
- Floydada, TX26.4 mi · 2,675 people · home $89,700
Plainview questions
Is Plainview, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plainview scores better for retirees than 29% of Texas towns and quieter than 9%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.7).
How much does a house cost in Plainview?
The median owner-occupied home in Plainview is valued at $113,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,768, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $851 a month.
What is the weather like in Plainview?
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 26.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.3 inches of precipitation a year and 8.2 inches of snow.
Does Plainview get tornadoes?
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainview since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 17, 1970. 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)