Campbell Bros. Circus at Plains, Mont, 1910
Plains’s story
143 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1910.
- 1883Plains is settled
PlainsMT
A town of 1,261, settled in 1883.
Population
1,261
2025 Census estimate · +13.6% since 2020
Typical home
$449K
+5.3% in a year
Household income
$25K
median
Median age
43.3
years
Jobs based here
860
A job hub
Is Plains a good place to live?
Plains’ best subject grades are an A for safety and civic life and an A− for walkability; its weakest is a D− for incomes. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Plains, above both the Montana town median (10%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 2 of Montana’s 94 towns score lower on incomes. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Plains’ trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both the Montana town median (0.6) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Plains has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Plains stand out
Where Plains beats most towns.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here860
Residents who work372
Work
2.3 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Plains0.8
Montana4.2
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
81% less violent crime than MT
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 79% of U.S. towns
16.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Small town
1,261 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Plains grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Montana), ordered by how far Plains is from typical.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →SafetyAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 14.1% of households have no carA−Open →SchoolsB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →HealthClark Fork Valley Hospital 0.7 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 5% conserved landB+Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life9.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 88° summer afternoons, 15″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.3; 13% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Plains: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Plains, and how to reach them.
PowerNorthWestern Energy14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Plains water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Plains’ trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personMontana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSanders County Election AdministratorSanders County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2025
ZIP code5985959859 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Plains.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Plains stands out in Montana and nationally, with the median household income lower than most
The median household income in Plains is $25,000. Jobs based in Plains grew to 860 in 2023, 296 more than in 2013. 41% of working residents work locally in Plains.
41%work in town
| Plains | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 41% | 39% | 8% |
| Median household income | $25,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Plains41%
Missoula6%
Thompson Falls4%
Kalispell3%
Helena2%
2 mi
median commute distance
860
jobs based in Plains
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 79% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB+
Plains’ public schools outperform 74% of Montana districts
Its public schools are run by the Plains K-12 school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
74%of MT districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 218 | B |
| Plains High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 121 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MT on state tests and graduation
SafetyA
Less crime per resident in Plains than in 85% of U.S. towns
Plains’ violent crime rate is 0.8 per 1,000 residents.
85%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Plains | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.8 per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.7 per 1,000 residents | 14.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Plains0.8
Montana4.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Plains4.7
Montana14.7
U.S.15.5
85th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
6
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Inland flooding leads a very high hazard risk in Plains
Among 42 Montana towns, just 3 have a higher FEMA risk score than Plains.
82risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingWildfireCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Plains has four seasons and pleasant summers
Plains has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. Among 43 Montana towns, just 4 have a higher July high than Plains.
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–36°
Spring34–60°
Summer49–84°
Fall34–59°
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
5.1%conserved
5.1%
conserved · 20 of 391 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Plains Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Fred Young Memorial Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB−
On CDC estimates, Plains is less healthy than 55% of U.S. towns
Plains beats the Montana average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 17% of Plains adults report frequent physical distress.
45%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Plains | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 72% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 32% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Montana
1 better21 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Plains | MT |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 77.9% | 73.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.6% | 7% |
Clark Fork Valley Hospital
0.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
Plains’ typical home value is about $449K
The typical Plains home is worth about $449,000, up 5.3% in a year, close to the Montana typical home.
$449KZillow home value
| Plains | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $843 a month | $1,000 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Plains$449K
Montana$467K
+5.3%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Plains
19pages on Plains
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 74% of MT districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA0.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB−Better than MT on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$449K typical home · up 5.3% in a yearWork & commuteD−$25K median household income · 860 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 82% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Plains; the nearest are
Salish Kootenai CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Pablo37.3 mi$4,311 in-state tuitionFlathead Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kalispell59 mi$4,912 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Plains residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
A job hub
Every workday, about 709 people come to Plains for work
Where Plains’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
860jobs based in Plains
41%of working residents work in town
2 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Plains
Town in Montana, United States
Plains (Salish: ncc̓kʷi) is a town in Sanders County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,106 at the 2020 census. It was founded as Horse Plains and sometimes called Wild Horse Plains, as the local Native Americans would winter their horses here to feed on the grasses in the valley. The name was later shortened to Plains when the US Postal Service established a presence in 1905. The town was established in 1883 as a Northern Pacific Railroad station.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,477 ft
- ZIP code
- 59859
- Area code
- 406
Questions about Plains
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Plains, MT expensive?
That is 7.8 years of the area's median household income ($57,476 across the county). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.