Compare towns
Lower Frederick vs Oley vs Carroll
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Pennsylvania.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lower Frederick has the most expensive homes ($356k median).
Oley has the most people working from home (26%).
Carroll has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
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 | Lower Frederick | Oley | Carroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,905 |
3,849Lowest |
7,079Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest PA: +2.4% |
+5.2% PA: +2.4% |
+15.4%Highest PA: +2.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±4.1 about the PA average |
41±12.3Lowest about the PA average |
41.8±2.9Highest about the PA average |
| Carroll and Lower Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±5.1Lowest PA: 20.4% |
22.2%±7.9 PA: 20.4% |
26%±3.6Highest PA: 20.4% |
| Carroll and Oley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±2.7Lowest PA: 19.5% |
22.6%±5.4Highest PA: 19.5% |
18.3%±3.5 PA: 19.5% |
| Oley and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest PA: 35.2% |
46.2% PA: 35.2% |
43.7%Lowest PA: 35.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.6 PA: 6.1% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest PA: 6.1% |
4.4%±1.5Highest PA: 6.1% |
| Carroll and Lower Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,087±$12k 49% above PA |
$90,750±$13kLowest 16% above PA |
$118,929±$18kHighest 53% above PA |
| Carroll and Lower Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,000±$36kHighest 40% above PA |
$350,100±$15kLowest 38% above PA |
$354,500±$24k 39% above PA |
| Lower Frederick and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,664±$211Highest 38% above PA |
$1,167±$314Lowest 3% below PA |
$1,250±$364 3% above PA |
| Lower Frederick and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910Lowest 48% above PA |
$6,559Highest 98% above PA |
$5,503 66% above PA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.3%±15.6 PA: 48.2% |
11.3%±12.9Lowest PA: 48.2% |
56.9%±24.8Highest PA: 48.2% |
| Carroll and Lower Frederick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest PA: 11.7% |
6.7%Lowest PA: 11.7% |
7% PA: 11.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% PA: 69.3% |
80.9%Lowest PA: 69.3% |
86.2%Highest PA: 69.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 22 yrs newer than PA |
1979Lowest 14 yrs newer than PA |
1993Highest 28 yrs newer than PA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above PA |
27 minLowest about the PA average |
27 min about the PA average |
| Work from home | 14.5%±6.2Lowest PA: 15.6% |
26%±16.8Highest PA: 15.6% |
20.6%±4.8 PA: 15.6% |
| Oley and Carroll 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 | #328 of 764 in PA | #405 of 764 in PA | #643 of 764 in PA |
| School district | Perkiomen Valley SD | Oley Valley SD · Berks Career and Technology Center | Northern York County SD |
| High school in town | None in town | Oley Valley SHS | Northern HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.2Lowest |
15.7Highest |
| 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.