Cost of living in Plum research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Plum is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Plum is 98, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Plum is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Plum ranks as the #123 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 255.
Plum ranks as the #2,372 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Plum is $256,123.
The median income in Plum is $98,475.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Plum has an overall cost of living index of 98, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Plum has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 100.
The standard of living in Plum ranks as #123 most affordable out of the 255 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Plum ranks as the #132 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Plum, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Plum. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Plum is 94.
The Groceries index in Plum is 101.
The Health index in Plum is 91.
The Housing index in Plum is 93.
The Transportation index in Plum is 108.
The Utilities index in Plum is 126.
| Living Expense | Plum | Pennsylvania | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 101 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 93 | 93 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 126 | 108 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Plum is $256,123.
The Median Rent in Plum is $1,156.
The Median Income in Plum is $98,475.
The Home Value To Income in Plum is 2.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Plum is 0.14x.
| Statistic | Plum | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $256,123 | $281,782 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,156 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $98,475 | $76,081 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 2.6x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.14x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Plum | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.39 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.77 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.24 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.73 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $40.4 | $45.56 |
| Item | Plum | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.7 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.41 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.52 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.47 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.83 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.58 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
| Item | Plum | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $109.26 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $100.92 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $110.5 | $113.29 |
| Item | Plum | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.73 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.05 | $59.92 |
| Item | Plum | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $270.68 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $196.77 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Plum. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Allison Park, PA has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x Plum.
Franklin Park, PA has a cost of living index of 131, 1.3x Plum.
Whitehall, PA has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Plum.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Plum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allison Park, PA | 22,108 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Franklin Park, PA | 15,273 | 131 | 1.3x |
| Whitehall, PA | 14,863 | 100 | 1.0x |
| New Kensington, PA | 12,072 | 89 | 0.9x |
| Lower Burrell, PA | 11,659 | 94 | 1.0x |
| Glenshaw, PA | 9,194 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Pleasant Hills, PA | 8,418 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Castle Shannon, PA | 8,237 | 95 | 1.0x |
| Dormont, PA | 8,120 | 98 | 1.0x |
| Oakmont, PA | 6,712 | 106 | 1.1x |