Plains township, Pennsylvania
Plains township profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
Plains township is a geographic entity located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 10,010. The land area covers 13.08 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2025 PEP Estimate) | 10,010 | — | 2025 / Census |
| Median Age | 43.8 yrs | ±3 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 4,585 | ±299 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (PEP, ACS 5-Year).
Housing & Real Estate Profile
| Housing Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Units | 4,909 | ±330 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 4,585 | ±299 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 324 | ±143 |
| Median Home Value | $164,200 | ±$29,043 |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,118 | ±$116 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $73,790 | ±$10,022 |
| Per Capita Income | $39,967 | ±$3,166 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.8% | ±4.8% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 1,603 | ±455 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | ±3.8% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 4,848 | ±383 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 83.3% | ±3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Local Government & Public Administration
Authoritative general-purpose local government units serving this area
U.S. Census Bureau GUS (2026) / GMAF
| Government Unit | Unit Type | Jurisdiction Role | Contact / Address |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GUS Population: 9,999 (2024)
ID: 174574
|
Township | Official Local Government |
Contact: SECRETARY CLERK
126 N MAIN ST, PLAINS PA 18705-1506
|
|
GUS Population: 331,379 (2024)
ID: 173730
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: CHAIRPERSON
200 N RIVER ST, WILKES BARRE PA 18711-1001
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular School Plains | KG-05 | Plains, PA | |
| Regular School Plains | 06-08 | Plains, PA | |
| Regular School Plains | 09-12 | Plains, PA | |
| Regular School Plains | 09-12 | Plains, PA | |
| Regular School Nearby | 05-08 | Clarks Summit, PA | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-08 | Bear Creek Township, PA | |
| Career and Technical School Nearby | 09-12 | Scranton, PA | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-04 | Scranton, PA | |
| Regular School Nearby | 01-05 | Kingston, PA | |
| Regular School Nearby | 07-12 | Mountain Top, PA |
Source: k12guides.com.
Community Facilities & Infrastructure
Displaying 10 civic institutions across 2 datasets queried
CMS • IPEDS • IMLS
| Facility Name | Category | Relationship | Address / Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Practical Nursing
|
College Vocational | 0.3 mi away | 350 Jumper Rd, Wilkes Barre, PA, 18705-0699 |
57082265398
|
|
NORTH BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 1.6 mi away | 28 OLIVER ST, WILKES-BARRE, PA, 18705 |
(570) 822-4669
|
|
King's College
|
College | 3.5 mi away | 133 N River St, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18711-0801 |
5702085900
|
|
PLAINS TOWNSHIP BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 2.0 mi away | 126 NORTH MAIN STREET, PLAINS, PA, 18705 |
(570) 824-1862
|
|
Fortis Institute-Forty Fort
|
College Vocational | 3.8 mi away | 166 Slocum Street, Forty Fort, PA, 18704-2936 |
5702888400
|
|
WYOMING FREE LIBRARY
|
Library | 3.5 mi away | 358 WYOMING AVE, WYOMING, PA, 18644 |
(570) 693-1364
|
|
Wilkes University
|
College | 4.2 mi away | 84 West South Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA, 18766 |
5704085000
|
|
OSTERHOUT FREE LIBRARY
|
Library | 3.9 mi away | 71 SOUTH FRANKLIN ST, WILKES-BARRE, PA, 18701 |
(570) 823-0156
|
|
Empire Beauty School-Wyoming Valley
|
College Vocational | 9.7 mi away | 3370 Birney Avenue, Moosic, PA, 18507 |
8009204593
|
|
HOYT LIBRARY
|
Library | 4.2 mi away | 284 WYOMING AVE, KINGSTON, PA, 18704 |
(570) 287-2013
|
Distances calculated from authoritative source coordinates. Source: CMS, IMLS, NCES IPEDS.
Climate & Weather Observations
NOAA Monthly Climate Normals
Observation Station: Climate data reflects NOAA 1991–2020 standard normals recorded at WILKES-BARRE INTL AP, PA US, located 6.6 miles from Plains township. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35.7° | 20.3° | 28.0° | 2.59" | 11.7" |
| February | 38.8° | 21.9° | 30.3° | 2.07" | 10.9" |
| March | 47.6° | 28.9° | 38.3° | 2.77" | 10.1" |
| April | 61.1° | 39.3° | 50.2° | 3.26" | 0.8" |
| May | 72.2° | 49.6° | 60.9° | 3.26" | 0.0" |
| June | 79.9° | 58.1° | 69.0° | 3.80" | 0.0" |
| July | 84.6° | 62.7° | 73.7° | 3.61" | 0.0" |
| August | 82.4° | 61.1° | 71.8° | 3.85" | 0.0" |
| September | 75.1° | 54.0° | 64.6° | 4.15" | 0.0" |
| October | 63.1° | 43.3° | 53.2° | 3.71" | 0.7" |
| November | 51.2° | 34.3° | 42.7° | 2.85" | 3.2" |
| December | 40.3° | 26.3° | 33.3° | 2.80" | 7.7" |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020).
Local Weather Forecast
Weather forecast data is currently unavailable in the local cache.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Listing adjacent communities by spatial proximity (miles)
Proximity discovery
| Community Name | Classification | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson CDP | CDP | 1.3 mi | — |
| Hilldale CDP | CDP | 1.9 mi | — |
| Plains CDP | CDP | 2.1 mi | — |
| Laflin borough | Borough | 2.1 mi | — |
| Inkerman CDP | CDP | 2.3 mi | — |
| Forty Fort borough | Borough | 3.2 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 4207961120. • Official Source Dataset →
- Socioeconomic & Housing Metrics: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and Population Estimates Program (PEP). Margin of Error (MOE) intervals are reported where published; suppressed values are never estimated or replaced with false zeros.
- Civic Directory Datasets: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Hospital Directory), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES IPEDS Postsecondary Directory), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Public Libraries Survey). Airport landing facilities are provided by airport-data.com.
- Weather & Climate Observations: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 and National Weather Service (NWS) point forecasts.