Is Plainview, CA a Good Place to Live?
Plainview is a small town of 378 in California, with a median household income of $61,250 and a 40.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.
Strengths: Plainview stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. 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: 101.3Plainview's overall cost of living index is 101.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Plainview costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Plainview, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $110,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 86.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $61,250 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AveragePlainview's violent crime rate is 418.9 per 100,000 residents — 10% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Plainview, CA | 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 | 7.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 50.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Plainview sees average highs of 57.1°F in January and 96.3°F in July, with 12.1 inches of annual precipitation and 0.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Plainview, CA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 57.1°F |
| Average High — July | 96.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Plainview, CA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 378 | — |
| Median Age | 42.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 40.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 27.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 69.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 13.2% | 16.8% |