Compare towns
Spring vs Bethlehem vs Plum
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Pennsylvania.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spring has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Bethlehem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Plum has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Spring | Bethlehem | Plum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,601Highest |
26,237Lowest |
26,723 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% PA: +2.4% |
+9%Highest PA: +2.4% |
+0.1%Lowest PA: +2.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.3 3% above PA |
41.9±2.6Lowest about the PA average |
44.4±1.6Highest 9% above PA |
| Plum and Spring are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2 PA: 20.4% |
19.3%±2.4Lowest PA: 20.4% |
21.2%±2.4Highest 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+ | 19.4%±1.8Lowest PA: 19.5% |
21.5%±1.8 PA: 19.5% |
22.8%±2Highest PA: 19.5% |
| Plum and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.5%Lowest PA: 35.2% |
46.6%Highest PA: 35.2% |
45% PA: 35.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.8%±1.1Highest PA: 6.1% |
6.5%±0.8 PA: 6.1% |
4.3%±1.1Lowest PA: 6.1% |
| Spring and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,837±$10kLowest 22% above PA |
$119,050±$13kHighest 53% above PA |
$98,705±$4k 27% above PA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $286,900±$11k 13% above PA |
$376,500±$11kHighest 48% above PA |
$227,600±$7kLowest 11% below PA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,416±$95 17% above PA |
$1,794±$99Highest 48% above PA |
$1,177±$55Lowest about the PA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,603 39% above PA |
$6,126Highest 85% above PA |
$3,948Lowest 19% above PA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.3%±13Highest PA: 48.2% |
41.4%±8.8 PA: 48.2% |
40.4%±8.8Lowest PA: 48.2% |
| Spring and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Highest PA: 11.7% |
5.1%Highest PA: 11.7% |
3.6%Lowest PA: 11.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Lowest PA: 69.3% |
81.7%Highest PA: 69.3% |
80.7% PA: 69.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 10 yrs newer than PA |
1989Highest 24 yrs newer than PA |
1972Lowest 7 yrs newer than PA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below PA |
26 min about the PA average |
31 minHighest 18% above PA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±2.2Lowest PA: 15.6% |
15.9%±2.2 PA: 15.6% |
23.7%±2.8Highest PA: 15.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #365 of 764 in PA | #565 of 764 in PA | #340 of 764 in PA |
| School district | Wilson SD | Bethlehem Area SD · Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School | Plum Borough SD |
| High school in town | Wilson HS | Freedom HS | Plum SHS |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.1Lowest |
16.5 |
17.5Highest |
| 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.