Plainview is a small town of 450 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $42,550
.
Its cost of living index is 80 (US average = 100), which is
20% below the national average.
Strengths:
Plainview stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Plainview is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Plainview city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 80.1
Plainview's overall cost of living index is 80.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Plainview costs roughly 20% less than the average American city.
Metric
Plainview, AR
National Avg
Median Home Value
$103,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$324
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
66.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$42,550
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Plainview's violent crime rate is 562.3 per 100,000 residents
— 48% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
562.3 /100k
Property Crime
782.5 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Plainview, AR
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
5.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
81.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Plainview sees average highs of 52.2°F in January
and 94.1°F in July,
with 53.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 3.2 inches of snow per year.
Plainview's cost of living index is 80, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Plainview roughly 20% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $103,600 and median rent is $324/month.
Plainview's violent crime rate is 562.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 782.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Plainview, AR has a population of 450, a median household income of $42,550, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Plainview averages 52.2°F in January and 94.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 53.0 inches
with about 3.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Plainview, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 72857.
The population of Plainview, Arkansas is 450 with a median age of 46.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Plainview: cost of living index 80 (100 = US average), median home $103,600, median household income $42,550, crime index 104 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Plainview side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.