Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
2,748 people live in this town, settled in 1908.
The data are hard on it. With a C− overall, The Plains is better than 17% of U.S. towns and ranks 913th of 987 in Ohio. Its weakest is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $186K, 3.3 years of the Athens area’s $56K median household income. Where it does best is walkability: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 77% of U.S. towns. The Plains’ median age is 59.4 years, above both the Ohio town median (41.7 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years).
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24.
Where The Plains beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far The Plains is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 2,931 in 2000, 3,140 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 4 maps from 1903 on.
The Plains is unincorporated, so Athens County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in The Plains.
Four-year graduates: a third of adults 25 and older here, 32% across Ohio. People 65 and older are 37% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 7% of residents (22% statewide).
| The Plains | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.4 years | 41.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 24% | 29% |
58% women, 42% men
About 73 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±7.2 points). Across Ohio, 50.7% of residents are women. Among residents 45 to 54, 83% are men (OH 50%).
| The Plains | OH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0.9% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.9% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.6% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 20.8% | 13.2% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 30.2% | 10.9% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.6% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 10.1% | 8.2% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.5% | 32.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.6% | 19.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.9% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 13.6% | 19.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 19.2% | 12.2% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,700, single groups can be off by several points
Federal aid has come to The Plains households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2004. On expected storm and flood damage, The Plains sits below 74% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 73% come from inland flooding and 7% from heat waves.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 8,828 U.S. towns with household incomes like The Plains’s, it is less healthy than 52%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
Among adults in The Plains, 15% have diabetes. In The Plains, 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| The Plains | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 23% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 19% |
| What stands out | The Plains | OH |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 8.7% |
| More adults with depression | 29.1% | 25.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
For households in The Plains, the share who live in a home they own is 54%. Zillow values the typical The Plains home at about $186,000, up 1.6% in a year, 24% below the Ohio typical home. Also worth knowing: the midpoint rent in the town is $971 a month.
| The Plains | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 54% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $971 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Plains brings chilly winters and warm summers. Summer afternoons peak near 84° in July, and January nights bottom out around 22°; snowfall runs to about 12 inches a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
For The Plains, the median household income is $60,000. Just 4% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The share of residents in The Plains who live below the poverty line: 19%. This Ohio town had 903 jobs in 2023, up 138 from 2013.
| The Plains | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.2% | 6.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Across 2 parks and preserves: 0.2 miles of trail. For The Plains, the trail network density is 0.1 miles per square mile.
| The Plains | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Plains Preserve | — | 15 |
| 2. Plains Elementary Field | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
2 within 15 miles of the center of The Plains
About 10 of every 100 The Plains residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
Census-designated place in Ohio, United States
The Plains is a census-designated place (CDP) in Athens County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,140 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
The Plains grades C− overall, better than 17% of U.S. towns and #913 of 987 in Ohio. It grades C for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.