Photo: Lee Paxton · CC BY-SA 4.0On CDC estimates, Plum is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns
Plum differs from Pennsylvania on 15 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 14 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Plum. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Plum
Plum is an active town
Only 18.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.8% across Pennsylvania. The town has 40 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Cancer runs high in Plum
1 in 10 adults have had cancer (10.2%), vs 8.8% across Pennsylvania. Conditions ↓
Stroke and COPD are less common in Plum
Plum runs below Pennsylvania on stroke (3.1% vs 3.7%) and COPD (6.5% vs 7.7%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Pennsylvania figure falls outside Plum’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
What’s behind Plum’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plum is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns, #119 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is mental distress (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 92% of towns); the weakest is smoking, still better than 73%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Plum’s median household income is $98,705; among the 8,772 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($74K–$123K), it’s healthier than 91%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Pennsylvania
Share of adults, with the Pennsylvania figure marked.
40 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves
Out of every 100 Plum adults…
Plum runs below PA on 5 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Plum
No hospital or community health center in Plum itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Plum; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Plum adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Pennsylvania.
How Plum adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Plum does better than Pennsylvania.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Plum and the towns around it
Plum’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 10 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plum | A | 29.2% | 9.9% | 12.3% | CDC place |
| Penn Hills | — | — | — | — | |
| Lower Burrell | B+ | 31% | 11.3% | 14.2% | CDC place |
| Monroeville | A− | 30.3% | 11.8% | 13.3% | CDC place |
| Oakmont | A | 28.3% | 10% | 10.9% | CDC place |
| Upper Burrell Township | B− | 34.3% | 12.7% | 17.5% | ZIP codes |
| Murrysville | A | 28.9% | 10.8% | 11.2% | CDC place |
| Springdale | B+ | 31.3% | 10.8% | 16% | CDC place |
Penn Hills: no CDC estimate of its own. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Plum adults live with a disability (Pennsylvania 31.3%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Plum
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Plum is better than Pennsylvania on 14 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Pennsylvania figure falls inside Plum’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Plum | PA | U.S. | vs PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.3%12.7–15.9 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.3–12.9 | 13.2% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 13.6%12.2–15.1 | 16.4% | 15.9% | Better |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 29.2%25.3–33.3 | 33.8% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 9.9%8.6–11.3 | 11.6% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 30.7%28.2–33.2 | 32.8% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 34.2%31.3–37.2 | 33.8% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 31.9%28.9–34.7 | 30.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 9.9%8.8–11.2 | 10.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 10.2%9.2–11.2 | 8.8% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 7%6.3–7.7 | 7.4% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 6.5%5.9–7.3 | 7.7% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 3.1%2.9–3.4 | 3.7% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 7.5%6–9.1 | 14.5% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 12.3%10.8–14 | 15.8% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 18.7%16.2–21.4 | 23.8% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 20.5%17.7–23.4 | 18.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32.8%28.9–36.7 | 37.9% | 36% | Better |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 4.7%4–5.6 | 5.8% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.8%75.8–81.6 | 78.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 72%69.1–74.7 | 64.4% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 88%86.2–89.6 | 85.3% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.2%78.5–83.6 | 79.2% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 69.5%65.4–73.3 | 67.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 81.2%75.5–85.8 | 77.7% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 22.6%19.7–25.5 | 23% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 26.5%23.6–29.4 | 31.3% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 12%10.6–13.4 | 14.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 10.9%9.7–12.1 | 14.1% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.3%6.4–8.1 | 7.6% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.2–3.9 | 5.1% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6.2%5.5–6.8 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.6%2.4–2.8 | 3.7% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Pennsylvania figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Plum
Is Plum a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Plum is healthier than 89% of U.S. towns: A for health, #119 of 1,035 in Pennsylvania. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 91%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Plum?
CDC estimates 29.2% of adults have obesity, likely between 25.3% and 33.3%, against 33.8% across Pennsylvania and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Plum?
UPMC East in Monroeville, 4.5 miles in a straight line from Plum’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Plum have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 4.7% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 4–5.6%), against 5.8% across Pennsylvania.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Plum more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Plum.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Pennsylvania figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.