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Plains vs Newark

309 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.5× in Newark) and jobs per worker (4.8× in Plains).

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Plains, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,235 people

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Newark, TXOne of the healthiest townsTexas · 1,177 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

PlainsOne of the healthiest towns

Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$182K typical home39% below the TX typical home All about Plains →

NewarkOne of the healthiest towns

Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 72%of TX districts All about Newark →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill2.5×

Tax bills are bigger in Newark

Newark $2,152Plains $867

Jobs per worker4.8×

Plains is more of a job hub

Plains 1.15Newark 0.24

Growth since 2010+17.6 pts

Newark has grown faster since 2010

Newark +9.1%Plains -8.5%

Work in town+25.1 pts

More of Plains’s workers stay in town

Plains 25.3%Newark 0.2%

Work from home+12.3 pts

More people work from home in Newark

Newark 12.3%Plains 0%

Street grid+68%

Plains has the more walkable street grid

Plains 111Newark 65.8

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $910 more a month in Newark

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Plains$1,050/mo

Typical home $182K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.65% · or rent about $864/mo · Housing →

Newark$1,960/mo

Typical home $300K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.57% · or rent about $1,143/mo · Housing →

The difference: $910 a month, about $10,900 a year, between Newark and Plains.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

C+PlainsBetter than 39% of districts in the state B+NewarkBetter than 72% of districts in the state

Health

DPlainsHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns CNewarkHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

PlainsNewark

Snow a year3″1″

January low25°F 33°F

July high93°F 95°F

Growing season (days)200d 237d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd 39th

Outdoors & history

PlainsNewark

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0%2.1%

Community

PlainsNewark

Library hours a week40 hrs 20 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

309 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PlainsTX NewarkTX

Plains ↔ Newark309 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Texas average

PlainsNewark

People

Population 1,235Highest 1,177Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.5%Lowest TX: +15.9% +9.1%Highest TX: +15.9%

Median age 32.4±20.1Highest 9% below TX 27.7±8.5Lowest 22% below TX

Plains and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 26.2%±7.4Lowest TX: 25% 30.9%±3Highest TX: 25%

Newark and Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 14.3%±6Highest TX: 13.4% 10.1%±2.3Lowest TX: 13.4%

Plains and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.2%Lowest TX: 33.8% 16.1%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±2.8Lowest TX: 6.2% 4.2%±2.6Highest TX: 6.2%

Newark and Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $76,985±$10kLowest about the TX average $77,344±$40kHighest about the TX average

Newark and Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $133,300±$62kLowest 53% below TX $137,500±$130kHighest 52% below TX

Newark and Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $864±$44Lowest 38% below TX $1,143±$421Highest 19% below TX

Newark and Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $867Lowest 80% below TX $2,152Highest 49% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 14.4%±35.2Lowest TX: 51.7% 45.7%±7Highest TX: 51.7%

Newark and Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 15.5%Lowest TX: 13.8% 19.5%Highest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 76.4%Lowest TX: 62.6% 76.9%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 9 yrs older than TX 1995Highest 3 yrs newer than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 8% above TX 33 minHighest 25% above TX

Work from home 0%±2.8Lowest TX: 14.4% 12.3%±4.7Highest TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 25.3%Highest 0.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 37.8 miHighest 23.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.15Highest 0.24Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Lubbock (10%)Fort Worth (30%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in NewarkFew work in Plains

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 2.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 111Highest 65.8Lowest

Schools

School district PLAINS ISDNORTHWEST ISD

High school in town Plains H SNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 7.3 —

Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Plains neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plains’s Town Square.

Newark neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Newark’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Plains and Newark

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Plains

Lakeport1,170 people · $124K homes

Booker1,311 people · $150K homes

Daisetta1,016 people · $119K homes

Woodsboro1,464 people · $113K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.