| Index | Plains | Kansas | National |
| Cost of living | 83 | 89 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 94 | 92 | 100 |
| Groceries | 100 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 104 | 97 | 100 |
| Housing | 52 | 76 | 100 |
| Transportation | 86 | 90 | 100 |
| Utilities | 106 | 107 | 100 |
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $68,333 | $5,694 | $1,594 | $2,050 |
| Renters | $56,182 | $4,682 | $1,311 | $1,686 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Kansas | 6.5% | 11.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Kansas | 3.1% | 4.7% |
| Item | Plains | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $15.84 | $24.26 | 34.7% |
| Beauty Salon | $30.99 | $45.56 | 32.0% |
| Toothpaste | $3.68 | $3.70 | 0.5% |
| Shampoo | $1.17 | $1.28 | 8.9% |
| Movie | $12.89 | $12.13 | 6.2% |
| Bowling | $12.54 | $18.00 | 30.3% |
| Item | Plains | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $5.70 | $5.84 | 2.4% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 | 10.2% |
| Milk | $4.78 | $4.67 | 2.4% |
| Potatoes | $4.96 | $4.93 | 0.5% |
| Pizza | $12.15 | $12.09 | 0.6% |
| Beer | $9.86 | $10.41 | 5.3% |
| Item | Plains | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $221.30 | $125.68 | 76.1% |
| Doctor | $147.70 | $135.78 | 8.8% |
| Dentist | $94.01 | $113.29 | 17.0% |
| Ibuprofen | $10.49 | $10.65 | 1.6% |
| Lipitor | $526.83 | $468.60 | 12.4% |
| Item | Plains | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $85,000.00 | $184,700.00 | 54.0% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $1,613.36 | $2,346.69 | 31.2% |
| Apartment Rent | $626.00 | $949.00 | 34.0% |
| Item | Plains | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.05 | $3.46 | 11.8% |
| Tire Balancing | $49.15 | $59.92 | 18.0% |
| Item | Plains | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $207.69 | $193.99 | 7.1% |
| Phone | $200.29 | $192.25 | 4.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Meade, KS | 1,388 | 84 | 16.4% |
| Kismet, KS | 383 | 83 | 17.3% |
| Plains, KS | 1,301 | 83 | 16.9% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Seven Mile, AZ | 1,301 | 92 | 8.5% |
| Paisley, FL | 1,301 | 83 | 17.0% |
| Guthrie, KY | 1,301 | 85 | 15.1% |
| Fort Sumner, NM | 1,301 | 82 | 17.5% |
| Dalton, PA | 1,301 | 102 | 1.9% |
| Plains, KS | 1,301 | 83 | 16.9% |
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