Compare towns
Cheswick vs Plum vs Harmar
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Pennsylvania.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheswick has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Plum has the most kids (21.2% under 18).
Harmar has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
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.
| Measure | Cheswick | Plum | Harmar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,661Lowest |
26,723Highest |
3,075 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest PA: +2.4% |
+0.1% PA: +2.4% |
+7.3%Highest PA: +2.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±4.8 15% above PA |
44.4±1.6Lowest 9% above PA |
59.8±2.7Highest 46% above PA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±3.5 PA: 20.4% |
21.2%±2.4Highest PA: 20.4% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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%±3.6 PA: 19.5% |
22.8%±2Lowest PA: 19.5% |
36.7%±6.4Highest PA: 19.5% |
| Harmar and Cheswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Lowest PA: 35.2% |
45% PA: 35.2% |
46.1%Highest PA: 35.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±5.8Highest PA: 6.1% |
4.3%±1.1 PA: 6.1% |
1.9%±1.5Lowest 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±$10k 4% below PA |
$98,705±$4kHighest 27% above PA |
$65,075±$10kLowest 17% below PA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,200±$19kLowest 23% below PA |
$227,600±$7kHighest 11% below PA |
$206,200±$31k 19% below PA |
| Plum and Harmar are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,148±$161 5% below PA |
$1,177±$55Highest about the PA average |
$935±$141Lowest 23% below PA |
| Plum and Cheswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,124 6% below PA |
$3,948Highest 19% above PA |
$3,032Lowest 8% below PA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±18.2Lowest PA: 48.2% |
40.4%±8.8 PA: 48.2% |
45.5%±16.5Highest PA: 48.2% |
| Harmar and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% PA: 11.7% |
3.6%Lowest PA: 11.7% |
14.8%Highest PA: 11.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80% PA: 69.3% |
80.7%Highest PA: 69.3% |
75.5%Lowest PA: 69.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 10 yrs older than PA |
1972Highest 7 yrs newer than PA |
1965 same as PA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below PA |
31 minHighest 18% above PA |
25 minLowest 6% below PA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.9 PA: 15.6% |
23.7%±2.8Highest PA: 15.6% |
9.9%±5.4Lowest 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 | #504 of 764 in PA |
| School district | — | Plum Borough SD | Allegheny Valley SD |
| High school in town | — | Plum SHS | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.