The Town FilesPlum, Pennsylvania
Borough in Allegheny County · population 27,144 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $227,600
- Household income
- $98,705
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 44.4
Plum is a borough of 27,144 people in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $227,600, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more upscale than 85% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 77% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 71% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Plum ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Plum is worth $227,600, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $98,705, which is more affordable than 79% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,177 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plum | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $227,600 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,177 | $996 |
| Median household income | $98,705 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 80.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plum
| People | Plum | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.0% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 23.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 89.0% |
Weather in Plum
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 44.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.0 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 117 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plum since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 3, 1980 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 20, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 14, 1984.
Severe weather in Allegheny County since 1996
Allegheny County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| April 16, 2010 | Snowstorm | DR-1898: Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms |
Jobs and pay in Allegheny County
Allegheny County had 670,637 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $78,297 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Plum itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Plum
2 public schools with 1,976 students, about 17.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plum SHS | 9-12 | 1,249 | 17.6 |
| Pivik El Sch | K-4 | 727 | 18.2 |
Towns near Plum
- Springdale, PA3.2 mi · 3,400 people · home $153,900
- Oakmont, PA4.8 mi · 6,758 people · home $334,500
- New Kensington, PA4.9 mi · 12,170 people · home $142,000
- Monroeville, PA5.3 mi · 28,640 people · home $209,800
- Arnold, PA5.4 mi · 4,772 people · home $86,400
- Lower Burrell, PA5.8 mi · 11,758 people · home $198,600
- Harmar, PA6.0 mi · 3,133 people · home $206,200
- Murrysville, PA6.2 mi · 21,006 people · home $342,100
Plum questions
Is Plum, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plum scores better for retirees than 62% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 30%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).
How much does a house cost in Plum?
The median owner-occupied home in Plum is valued at $227,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,705, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,177 a month.
What is the weather like in Plum?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.5 inches of precipitation a year and 25.0 inches of snow.
Does Plum get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plum since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 3, 1980. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)