Plum receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Baldwin
Plum
Opportunity
79 · Top 8%
vs86 · Top 2%
Growth
41 · Bottom 34%
vs32 · Bottom 19%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 22%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs69 · Top 28%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs89 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs76 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Baldwin | Plum | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,057 | 26,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,983 | $98,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,565 | $48,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,649/sq mi | 935/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,400 | $227,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,066 | $1,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.8% | 80.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.4% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.3% | 45.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 3.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 125.0% | -53.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 41.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 32.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 44.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.53 | 16.28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.7% | 44.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.0% | 63.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.4% | 36.2% | 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: Baldwin, PA · Plum, PA · How this is calculated: methodology