Plum receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Kensington
Plum
Opportunity
63 · Top 36%
vs86 · Top 2%
Growth
20 · Bottom 8%
vs32 · Bottom 19%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs65 · Bottom 34%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs89 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs76 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | New Kensington | Plum | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,011 | 26,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,063 | $98,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,221 | $48,609 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,042/sq mi | 935/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $142,000 | $227,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $751 | $1,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.5% | 80.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.4% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.5% | 45.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 3.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.0 | 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 | 26 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 32.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.6 | 44.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
New Kensington
66
Your Score
68
Area Score
Plum
75
Your Score
75
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: New Kensington, PA · Plum, PA · How this is calculated: methodology