What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freehold has the most affordable homes ($99k median).

Plum has the most people working from home (8.6%).

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	Freehold	Plum
People
Population	892Lowest	981Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-19.8%Lowest PA: +2.4%	-14.5%Highest PA: +2.4%
Median age	47.4±11.2Lowest 16% above PA	48.9±8.1Highest 20% above PA
	Plum and Freehold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.9%±3.4Highest PA: 20.4%	20.9%±4.8Lowest PA: 20.4%
	Freehold and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±4Highest PA: 19.5%	24.1%±6.5Lowest PA: 19.5%
	Freehold and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.9%Lowest PA: 35.2%	15.7%Highest PA: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±3.4Highest PA: 6.1%	2.1%±1.4Lowest PA: 6.1%
	Freehold and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,279±$20kLowest 27% below PA	$63,438±$16kHighest 19% below PA
	Plum and Freehold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$99,100±$34kLowest 61% below PA	$134,100±$30kHighest 47% below PA
	Plum and Freehold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,063±$484 12% below PA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,515Highest 54% below PA	$1,439Lowest 57% below PA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest PA: 48.2%	34.8%±94.5Highest PA: 48.2%
	Plum and Freehold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.1%Highest PA: 11.7%	13%Lowest PA: 11.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.5%Highest PA: 69.3%	91.6%Lowest PA: 69.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980 15 yrs newer than PA	1980 15 yrs newer than PA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above PA	27 minLowest about the PA average
Work from home	2.8%±2.7Lowest PA: 15.6%	8.6%±4.3Highest PA: 15.6%
	Plum and Freehold 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
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.