Compare towns
Plum vs Spring vs Lower Burrell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Pennsylvania.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plum has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Spring has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
Lower Burrell has the most affordable homes ($199k median).
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 | Plum | Spring | Lower Burrell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 26,723 |
28,601Highest |
11,633Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% PA: +2.4% |
+4.7%Highest PA: +2.4% |
0%Lowest PA: +2.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±1.6 9% above PA |
42.2±2.3Lowest 3% above PA |
46.8±3.3Highest 14% above PA |
| Lower Burrell and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±2.4Highest PA: 20.4% |
19.8%±2 PA: 20.4% |
19.1%±3.2Lowest PA: 20.4% |
| Plum and Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±2 PA: 19.5% |
19.4%±1.8Lowest PA: 19.5% |
25.3%±3.3Highest PA: 19.5% |
| Lower Burrell and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45%Highest PA: 35.2% |
44.5% PA: 35.2% |
33.1%Lowest PA: 35.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.1 PA: 6.1% |
7.8%±1.1Highest PA: 6.1% |
4%±1.2Lowest PA: 6.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,705±$4kHighest 27% above PA |
$94,837±$10k 22% above PA |
$84,602±$8kLowest 9% above PA |
| Plum and Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,600±$7k 11% below PA |
$286,900±$11kHighest 13% above PA |
$198,600±$10kLowest 22% below PA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$55 about the PA average |
$1,416±$95Highest 17% above PA |
$911±$142Lowest 25% below PA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948 19% above PA |
$4,603Highest 39% above PA |
$3,395Lowest about the PA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.8 PA: 48.2% |
49.3%±13Highest PA: 48.2% |
37.8%±16.2Lowest PA: 48.2% |
| Spring and Plum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest PA: 11.7% |
5.1% PA: 11.7% |
7.8%Highest PA: 11.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% PA: 69.3% |
75.3%Lowest PA: 69.3% |
84.5%Highest PA: 69.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 7 yrs newer than PA |
1975Highest 10 yrs newer than PA |
1962Lowest 3 yrs older than PA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above PA |
24 minLowest 10% below PA |
26 min about the PA average |
| Work from home | 23.7%±2.8Highest PA: 15.6% |
14.9%±2.2 PA: 15.6% |
12%±3.4Lowest PA: 15.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #340 of 764 in PA | #365 of 764 in PA | #522 of 764 in PA |
| School district | Plum Borough SD | Wilson SD | Burrell SD |
| High school in town | Plum SHS | Wilson HS | Burrell HS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.5Highest |
16.1 |
14.6Lowest |
| 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.