Plainview, Texas | |
|---|---|
 Plainview City Hall | |
 Location of Plainview, Texas | |
  Plainview Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:34°11′5.26″N101°42′24.63″W / 34.1847944°N 101.7068417°W /34.1847944; -101.7068417 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hale |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Incorporated | January 1, 1907 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • Mayor | Charles Starnes |
| • City manager | Jeff Johnston |
| • City Council | Dist 1 Rep: Mary Elizabeth Dickerson Dist 2 Rep: Steve Martinez Dist 3 Rep: Mike McDonough Dist 4 Rep: Gary House Dist 5 Rep: Daniel Rascon Dist 6 Rep: Evan Weiss Dist 7 Rep: Lorie Rodriguez |
| Area | |
• Total | 13.895 sq mi (35.988 km2) |
| • Land | 13.895 sq mi (35.988 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.000 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,363 ft (1,025 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 20,187 |
• Estimate (2023)[5] | 19,420 |
| • Density | 1,397.6/sq mi (539.61/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 79072, 79073 |
| Area code | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-57980 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1365375[3] |
| Sales tax | 8.25%[6] |
| Website | plainviewtx.org |
Plainview is a city in and thecounty seat ofHale County, Texas, United States.[7] The population was 20,187 at the2020 census.[4]
Plainview began when Z. T. Maxwell and Edwin Lowden Lowe established a post office on March 18, 1887. The town received its name due to the vast treeless plain surrounding it. On July 3, 1888, the town received a charter, and it became the county seat in August the same year, whenHale County was organized.[8]
In 1906, the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway reached Plainview, initiating an agricultural boom in the region. The city incorporated in 1907, and by 1910, it had almost 3,000 residents, earning the nickname "Athens of West Texas." Central Plains College and Conservatory of Music, later renamed Seth Ward College, was founded in 1907, andWayland Baptist College (now Wayland Baptist University) was established in 1909.[8]
In 1969, country singerJimmy Dean opened the Jimmy Dean Meat Company, and in 1971,Missouri Beef Packers established a large beef-processing plant.[8]
Plainview is located at34°11′5.26″N101°42′24.63″W / 34.1847944°N 101.7068417°W /34.1847944; -101.7068417 (34.1847936, -101.7068417) on theLlano Estacado.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.895 square miles (35.99 km2), all land.[2]
According to theKöppen climate classification, Plainview has asemiarid climate,BSk on climate maps.[9]
| Climate data for Plainview, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1908–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 84 (29) | 89 (32) | 93 (34) | 102 (39) | 108 (42) | 112 (44) | 110 (43) | 107 (42) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 90 (32) | 82 (28) | 112 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 73.4 (23.0) | 77.6 (25.3) | 85.0 (29.4) | 90.3 (32.4) | 97.4 (36.3) | 101.9 (38.8) | 100.7 (38.2) | 99.2 (37.3) | 96.0 (35.6) | 90.4 (32.4) | 80.7 (27.1) | 73.0 (22.8) | 104.4 (40.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52.3 (11.3) | 56.7 (13.7) | 65.1 (18.4) | 73.4 (23.0) | 81.8 (27.7) | 90.2 (32.3) | 92.4 (33.6) | 91.0 (32.8) | 83.8 (28.8) | 74.0 (23.3) | 61.8 (16.6) | 52.8 (11.6) | 72.9 (22.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.2 (4.0) | 42.8 (6.0) | 50.7 (10.4) | 58.7 (14.8) | 68.3 (20.2) | 77.1 (25.1) | 80.1 (26.7) | 78.7 (25.9) | 71.3 (21.8) | 60.3 (15.7) | 48.5 (9.2) | 40.2 (4.6) | 59.7 (15.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 26.1 (−3.3) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 36.3 (2.4) | 43.9 (6.6) | 54.7 (12.6) | 64.1 (17.8) | 67.9 (19.9) | 66.3 (19.1) | 58.8 (14.9) | 46.7 (8.2) | 35.1 (1.7) | 27.6 (−2.4) | 46.4 (8.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 12.0 (−11.1) | 14.8 (−9.6) | 20.0 (−6.7) | 30.2 (−1.0) | 40.7 (4.8) | 54.5 (12.5) | 61.3 (16.3) | 59.6 (15.3) | 46.4 (8.0) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 19.8 (−6.8) | 12.7 (−10.7) | 7.2 (−13.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) | −8 (−22) | −2 (−19) | 15 (−9) | 24 (−4) | 39 (4) | 50 (10) | 45 (7) | 33 (1) | 17 (−8) | 3 (−16) | −5 (−21) | −8 (−22) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.68 (17) | 0.60 (15) | 1.25 (32) | 1.52 (39) | 2.86 (73) | 2.74 (70) | 2.38 (60) | 2.12 (54) | 1.99 (51) | 1.63 (41) | 0.83 (21) | 0.73 (19) | 19.33 (491) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.1 (5.3) | 1.5 (3.8) | 0.8 (2.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 1.2 (3.0) | 2.4 (6.1) | 8.2 (21) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 5.9 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 62.1 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 5.4 |
| Source:NOAA[10][11] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 2,829 | — | |
| 1920 | 3,989 | 41.0% | |
| 1930 | 8,834 | 121.5% | |
| 1940 | 8,263 | −6.5% | |
| 1950 | 14,044 | 70.0% | |
| 1960 | 18,735 | 33.4% | |
| 1970 | 19,096 | 1.9% | |
| 1980 | 22,187 | 16.2% | |
| 1990 | 21,700 | −2.2% | |
| 2000 | 22,336 | 2.9% | |
| 2010 | 22,194 | −0.6% | |
| 2020 | 20,187 | −9.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 19,420 | [5] | −3.8% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] Texas Almanac: 1850-2000[13][14] 2020 Census[4] | |||
As of the 2023American Community Survey, there are 6,998 estimated households in Plainview with an average of 2.75 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $45,991. Approximately 22.7% of the city's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Plainview has an estimated 63.8% employment rate, with 15.7% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 74.8% holding a high school diploma.
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (61.8%), Spanish (36.9%), Indo-European (0.8%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.1%), and Other (0.4%).
The median age in the city was 32.0 years.
| Race / ethnicity(NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 2000[15] | Pop. 2010[16] | Pop. 2020[17] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 9,580 | 7,513 | 5,579 | 42.89% | 33.85% | 27.64% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,262 | 1,077 | 934 | 5.65% | 4.85% | 4.63% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 91 | 65 | 71 | 0.41% | 0.29% | 0.35% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 93 | 107 | 115 | 0.42% | 0.48% | 0.57% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 7 | 18 | 25 | 0.03% | 0.08% | 0.12% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 14 | 24 | 40 | 0.06% | 0.11% | 0.20% |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | 158 | 169 | 377 | 0.71% | 0.76% | 1.87% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11,131 | 13,221 | 13,046 | 49.83% | 59.57% | 64.63% |
| Total | 22,336 | 22,194 | 20,187 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 census, there were 20,187 people, 7,418 households, and 5,024 families residing in the city.[18] Thepopulation density was 1,452.8 inhabitants per square mile (560.9/km2). There were 8,549 housing units at an average density of 615.3 per square mile (237.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 48.80%White, 5.04%African American, 1.11%Native American, 0.59%Asian, 0.12%Pacific Islander, 23.45% from some other races and 20.88% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 64.63% of the population.[19]
As of the2010 census, there were 22,194 people, 7,605 households, and _ families residing in the city. The population density was 1,608.7 inhabitants per square mile (621.1/km2). There were 8,536 housing units at an average density of 618.6 per square mile (238.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 68.54%White, 5.19%African American, 1.07%Native American, 0.49%Asian, 0.09%Pacific Islander, 20.97% from some other races and 3.65% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 59.57% of the population.
As of the2000 census, there were 22,336 people, 7,626 households, and 5,666 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,621.0 inhabitants per square mile (625.9/km2). There were 8,471 housing units at an average density of 614.8 per square mile (237.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 63.21%White, 5.87%African American, 1.13%Native American, 0.43%Asian, 0.00%Pacific Islander, 26.59% from some other races and 2.77% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 49.83% of the population.
Of the 7,626 households, 40.1% had children under 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were not families. About 22.7% of all households were composed of single individuals, and 11.2% were households of persons 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.82, and the average family size was four.
In the city, the age distribution was 31.0% under 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income per household was $31,551, and per family was $35,215. Males had a median income of $26,434 versus $19,888 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $13,791. About 15.0% of families and 19.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 25.1% of those under 18, and 14.8% of those 65 or over.
In 2009, theTexas Department of State Health Services ordered the recall of all products produced by a processing facility near Plainview owned byPeanut Corporation of America. Rodents, excrement, and feathers in the plant had been found in the facility's products. The closure was not related to closures of PCA plants due toSalmonella concerns.[20]
A Cargillbeef processing plant, then the largest employer in the city, closed in 2013 due to lack of incoming animals, a result of the2010–2012 drought. The closure created challenges for the city, as an estimated 2,300 employees and their families relocated.[21]
TheTexas Department of Criminal Justice Region V office is located in Plainview.[22] The current Region V headquarters opened in 1996 in a formerBank of America building.[23]
The city is served by thePlainview Independent School District, which enrolled 5,585 students as of 2018[update].[24] The district attracts transfer students from surrounding school districts. Due to the PISD's size compared to surrounding districts, many of the district's schools provide extensive support for disabled students and students with special needs not available at other schools outside the district, in addition to more specialized courses. The mascot for thePlainview High School is a greyEnglish Bulldog nicknamed "Big Red".[25]
Wayland Baptist University, a private, four-year,coeducational, Baptist university, is based in the city. In 1908, when the school was founded, the campus was more than a mile from the city limit. The Museum of the Llano Estacado, now the Mabee Regional Heritage Center, opened in 1976, is located on the university grounds.[26] The museum is home to a permanent exhibit featuring artifacts from thePlainview Site, and fossilized remains of aColumbian mammoth known as the "Imperial Mammoth".[27] The Mabee Regional Heritage Center includes the Jimmy Dean, Llano of the Estacado and Flying Queens museums.
An extension ofSouth Plains College serves the residents of the city.
ThePlainview Herald, formerly thePlainview Daily Herald, is the city's only remaining newspaper. It was acquired from local owners byHearst Communications in 1979. It is among the oldest newspapers in Texas still in publication, and became fully computer paginated in 1994, the same year it began publishing an online edition. Customers in the city are also served by theLubbock Avalanche-Journal, which often reports on news from Plainview.
Eight radio stations broadcast from the city, includingKVOP, among the oldest in the region. KVOP's call sign originally meant "Voice of Plainview".[citation needed]
The city is within the Lubbock television market. Due to the terrain, television stations based in Amarillo can be received over-the-air, either directly or via repeaters north of the city. Prior to 1993, virtually all stations broadcast from Lubbock and Amarillo markets were retransmitted by the local cable operator. After changes were made to must-carry rules by theFederal Communications Commission, only stations from Lubbock are available to cable anddigital satellite customers in the city.
TheSteve Martin filmLeap of Faith (1992) was filmed in and around Plainview. Several residents were hired as extras for the film. Until 2016, a water tower east of downtown bore the name and mascot of the fictional town on which the movie was set:Rustwater Bengals.
An episode ofVice portrayed the city as a ghost town in a documentary feature called "Deliver Us from Drought", despite 22,000 residents still living in the city at the time of filming.[28] The documentary featured numerous locations, many of which had been closed or abandoned for years prior, as examples of recent rural flight following a drought. The documentary followed the template of a similar short, "Dry and Drier in West Texas", which was broadcast onShowtime.[29] Both documentaries portrayed residents of the city as excessively religious.
Plainview is at the intersection ofInterstate Highway 27, U.S. highways87 and70, andState Highway 194.[8]
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Municipalities and communities ofHale County, Texas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Town | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other community | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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