Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Plains’ median household income is $38,000, below both the Georgia town median ($63,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Among 230 Georgia towns, just 6 have a lower typical home value than Plains. Plains’ trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both Georgia’s towns (0.3) and U.S. towns (0.4). Its National Register listings include Jimmy Carter National Historic Site and Champion-McGarrah Plantation. Plains has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Plains beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 374 in 1870, a low of 231 in 1980, 573 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1933 and 2 maps from 1973 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Plains, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Plains.
The typical Plains home is worth about $123,000, up 10.4% in a year, 63% below the Georgia typical home. Typical home values rose 10% in the year to September 2026. 78% of households own their home in Plains.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Plains for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Plains has lost 104 jobs, to 129 in 2023. 16% of Plains residents live below the poverty line.
| Plains | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 15% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 9.1% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 71% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Plains has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Plains’ July high is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Only 3 of the 262 Georgia towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Plains. Plains beats the Georgia average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. Among 262 Georgia towns, just 10 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Plains.
| Plains | Georgia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 29% | 25% |
| What stands out | Plains | GA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.5% | 14.5% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.2% | 77.4% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 6.2% | 3.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1.1 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, at 24 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jimmy Carter National Historical Park | 0.5 mi | 24 |
| 2. Plains City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Plains. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi National Historic SiteAndersonville National Historic Site62K visitors a year
in town National Historical ParkJimmy Carter National Historical Park39K visitors a year
31 mi State parkProvidence Canyon State Park37 mi MuseumU.S. Army Armor and Cavalry Collection
30 mi MuseumGeorgia Veterans State Park32 mi Zoo & aquariumChehaw ParkAndersonville National Historic Site: Jud McCranie at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jimmy Carter National Historical Park: Unknown, Public domain · Providence Canyon State Park: Robbie Honerkamp, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Georgia Veterans State Park: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of Plains
About 1 of every 100 Plains residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Georgia.
Where Plains’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Plains on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Plains.
City in the United States
Plains is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 573. It is well-known as the home and final resting place of Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, who were the 39th president and first lady of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Plains has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born here, including Rosalynn Carter and Amy Carter.
