15239 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
18049
15239
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs86 · Top 3%
Growth
34 · Bottom 24%
vs29 · Bottom 15%
Climate
64 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Bottom 35%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs81 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 19%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs70 · Top 27%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs90 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
77 · Top 16%
vs82 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | 18049 | 15239 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,941 | 21,410 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,694 | $101,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,795 | $48,673 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,263/sq mi | 1,310/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,700 | $226,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,360 | $1,187 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.8% | 82.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 43.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 3.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -96.7% | -53.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.4" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 32.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 43.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.81 | 16.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.6% | 44.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.8% | 63.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.3% | 33.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 18049 — Emmaus, PA · 15239 — Plum, PA · How this is calculated: methodology