Plum receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Plum
New Castle
Opportunity
86 · Top 2%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
32 · Bottom 19%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
65 · Bottom 34%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
69 · Top 28%
vs51 · Top 50%
Access
89 · Bottom 41%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
76 · Top 14%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Plum | New Castle | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,723 | 21,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,705 | $42,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,609 | $24,415 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 935/sq mi | 2,598/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $227,600 | $77,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,177 | $741 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.7% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.4% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.0% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.3" | 41.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.4 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.28 | 14.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.5% | 26.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 63.1% | 53.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.2% | 72.5% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Plum
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
New Castle
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Plum
75
Your Score
75
Area Score
New Castle
53
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Plum, PA · New Castle, PA · How this is calculated: methodology