What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cheswick has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Plum has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cheswick	Plum
People
Population	1,661Lowest	26,723Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.2%Lowest PA: +2.4%	+0.1%Highest PA: +2.4%
Median age	46.9±4.8Highest 15% above PA	44.4±1.6Lowest 9% above PA
	Cheswick and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.4%±3.5Lowest PA: 20.4%	21.2%±2.4Highest PA: 20.4%
	Plum and Cheswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.4%±3.6Highest PA: 19.5%	22.8%±2Lowest PA: 19.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.3%Lowest PA: 35.2%	45%Highest PA: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.2%±5.8Highest PA: 6.1%	4.3%±1.1Lowest PA: 6.1%
	Cheswick and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,000±$10kLowest 4% below PA	$98,705±$4kHighest 27% above PA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,200±$19kLowest 23% below PA	$227,600±$7kHighest 11% below PA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,148±$161Lowest 5% below PA	$1,177±$55Highest about the PA average
	Plum and Cheswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,124Lowest 6% below PA	$3,948Highest 19% above PA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.2%±18.2Lowest PA: 48.2%	40.4%±8.8Highest PA: 48.2%
	Plum and Cheswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Highest PA: 11.7%	3.6%Lowest PA: 11.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80%Lowest PA: 69.3%	80.7%Highest PA: 69.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 10 yrs older than PA	1972Highest 7 yrs newer than PA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below PA	31 minHighest 18% above PA
Work from home	18.3%±5.9Lowest PA: 15.6%	23.7%±2.8Highest PA: 15.6%
	Plum and Cheswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#340 of 764 in PA
School district	—	Plum Borough SD
High school in town	—	Plum SHS
Students per teacherat that high school	—	17.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

PA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.