Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Pennsylvania

You consider moving to Pennsylvania but want to get more information about the state, overall quality of life, living costs, housing, safety, climate, job market, income prospects, future outlook and much more before making your final decision regarding this important topic?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Pennsylvania in the following article.

Living in Pennsylvania – Overview

Advantages of Living in Pennsylvania

1. Low living costs are attractive to many people in Pennsylvania
2. Housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of Pennsylvania yet
3. More than enough housing options for families as well as for single households
4. Overall competition in the housing market is rather low in Pennsylvania
5. Rents are still affordable for the majority of the general public
6. Property prices in most parts of Pennsylvania are pretty low
7. Housing is pretty cheap compared to the average income in Pennsylvania
8. Many people are still able to buy a decent home in Pennsylvania
9. Many people in Pennsylvania can still live the classic American dream
10. Low overall financial pressure for many people living in Pennsylvania
11. You don’t have to make a really good income to afford a decent lifestyle
12. It’s not all about the money in most parts of Pennsylvania
13. Many people in Pennsylvania are rather relaxed
14. People in the big cities are often tolerant and open to new things
15. You will be able to meet many helpful people in Pennsylvania
16. You may be able to really rely on your friends in Pennsylvania
17. You can enjoy big city life in Pennsylvania
18. Good mix of city life and recreational activities
19. You can spend your leisure in a productive manner
20. People in Pennsylvania can spend lots of time outdoors
21. You can stay fit and in shape in a natural manner
22. Decent air quality in many parts of Pennsylvania
23. Pennsylvania is not the most hectic state
24. Moving to Pennsylvania may help you slow down your life
25. Decent supply of material goods in most parts of Pennsylvania
26. You will find solid medical infrastructure in the big cities
27. Decent education in the urban parts of Pennsylvania
28. You can learn a lot about nature by moving to Pennsylvania
29. Pennsylvania is not the most crowded state
30. You will often have enough space for yourself in public
31. Traffic jams are not a big problem outside the major cities
32. Many people in Pennsylvania are not as career-focused as in many other regions
33. Decent internet connection in most parts of Pennsylvania
34. High level of cultural diversity in the big cities of Pennsylvania
35. You can try many delicious foods in Pennsylvania
36. Interesting climatic conditions for people living in Pennsylvania
37. Pennsylvania may become increasingly popular in the future
38. Pennsylvania may be a great place to raise your kids
39. Pennsylvania may be a great place to retire
40. Pennsylvania may be an underrated state

Low living costs are attractive to many people in Pennsylvania

One advantage of living in Pennsylvania is that living costs are still pretty low compared to many other states and this means you don’t have to spend as much money on various things of life as people moving to San Francisco or other much more expensive places and may have more money left to save and invest for retirement and other important things.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of Pennsylvania yet

You should also know that housing shortage is not a big problem in most regions of Pennsylvania yet so you will have pretty good chances of finding a decent place to stay rather quickly after moving to Pennsylvania while many other people moving to more popular regions often have a much harder time in this regard.

More than enough housing options for families as well as for single households

It also doesn’t really matter whether you search for a place to stay for a big family or just for you as a single person since you will have more than enough housing options to choose from and usually don’t have to spend lots of time or money before you find a decent place to buy or rent.

Overall competition in the housing market is rather low in Pennsylvania

In general, also overall competition in the Pennsylvania housing market is rather low and this can be great since when it comes to buying your dream home, you may not have to deal with as many bidders as in many other regions and may have better chances to buy a home at a rather low price and may sometimes even be able to buy it below market value.

Rents are still affordable for the majority of the general public

You should also know that rents are pretty affordable for the general public and this means people don’t have to spend a big fraction of their income on housing yet and will often have enough money to spend on other important and nice things in life.

Property prices in most parts of Pennsylvania are pretty low

Not only rents are pretty affordable but also property prices in most parts of Pennsylvania are still rather low so you may be able to buy a home at a rather reasonable price while people moving to Washington D.C. or other much more expensive places often have to pay much more for their dream homes.

Housing is pretty cheap compared to the average income in Pennsylvania

Property prices are not only low at an absolute level but are also rather affordable compared to the average income in Pennsylvania and this means many people don’t have to financially overextend themselves for buying a home and also their mortgage rates will be rather low.

Many people are still able to buy a decent home in Pennsylvania

Thanks to rather low property prices, it is also pretty easy to save up enough money for making a down payment on a home in Pennsylvania and you therefore don’t have to save up as much equity as in many other more expensive regions and may also have a higher chance to get a mortgage from your bank.

Many people in Pennsylvania can still live the classic American dream

Another upside to living in Pennsylvania is that thanks to low living and housing costs, many people are still able to live the classic American dream in this region which includes owning a nice home, a solid car and so on while many people in more expensive regions will no longer be able to live this kind of lifestyle since their average incomes will just not be enough to afford all those nice things anymore.

Low overall financial pressure for many people living in Pennsylvania

Since most things in Pennsylvania are rather cheap, also overall financial pressure for people moving to Pennsylvania is often much lower compared to people moving to NYC or other much more expensive regions and this also means you will likely have to work fewer hours to make a living in Pennsylvania and may be able to enjoy your life much more since you may have more time for your family.

You don’t have to make a really good income to afford a decent lifestyle

Thanks to rather low price levels, you also don’t have to make really good money from your job to afford a decent lifestyle in most regions of Pennsylvania and the pressure you have to deal with in your professional and private life may therefore also be far lower compared to people living in much more expensive regions.

It’s not all about the money in most parts of Pennsylvania

In general, people in Pennsylvania often also don’t care about money as much as in many other states and even if you don’t make good money from your job, you can still become a valued member of society if you are a great gal or guy and can just have a great time with many people who rather care about your character instead of what material things you have.

Many people in Pennsylvania are rather relaxed

Another benefit of living in Pennsylvania is that it is also a pretty relaxed state where people may take the time to get into conversations with you while people in busier regions often just rush from one meeting to the other and may not take enough time to socialize.

People in the big cities are often tolerant and open to new things

You will also be able to meet many open and tolerant people in the big cities of Pennsylvania and you therefore don’t have to worry about your background at all since you will be welcome no matter where you come from and can just have a great time with many other interesting people and can also learn a lot about alternative ways of life.

You will be able to meet many helpful people in Pennsylvania

You should also not forget that many people in Pennsylvania are pretty helpful and this can be great during your first weeks in this region when everything may seem to be unfamiliar to you and you may need support to get important things done so you may be able to become a valued member of society rather quickly.

You may be able to really rely on your friends in Pennsylvania

Since you can meet many helpful, friendly and reliable people in Pennsylvania, you can also count on many of them and this can be great during difficult periods of your life since you will likely have people around you who will help you overcome those dark periods on an emotional and practical level.

You can enjoy big city life in Pennsylvania

You should also know that there are some really big metropolitan regions in the state of Pennsylvania and people in Philadelphia or other major cities are really able to experience big city life and if you love being surrounded by skyscrapers and want to have most things you need nearby, moving to one of the big cities of Pennsylvania may be a great choice for you.

Good mix of city life and recreational activities

Not only will you be able to enjoy big city life but you will also have a decent mix of city life and recreational activities since you can do many great things in nature and this may help you stay balanced so you can reduce your risk of burnout and may have a great time with your family.

You can spend your leisure in a productive manner

Since you can go fishing, hunting or foraging for food in many parts of Pennsylvania, you may also be able to really enjoy your leisure while you can still be productive at the same time and you may even be able to live a self-sufficient lifestyle and may no longer have to get most things you need from a store in the long run.

People in Pennsylvania can spend lots of time outdoors

In general, there are so many nice things to do outdoors so people in Pennsylvania really have an incentive to leave their homes and this enables you to get lots of oxygen which may help your body and brain to work in a proper manner and may also keep you balanced on an emotional level.

You can stay fit and in shape in a natural manner

Since you can do so many nice things outdoors, you will also burn lots of calories through those nature activities and while many other people just sitting in front of a computer all day long may have to go to the gym to stay in shape, you may not have to waste time in this regard in Pennsylvania since you may be able to stay fit in a completely natural manner.

Decent air quality in many parts of Pennsylvania

Another advantage of moving to Pennsylvania is that overall air quality is pretty decent outside of the big cities and by moving to a region with good air quality, you may be able to reduce your risk of suffering from serious health conditions in the long run quite a lot.

Pennsylvania is not the most hectic state

You should also know that Pennsylvania is not a really hectic state and people are just not as busy as in many other regions and may take more time to get in touch with you and also help you out much more than in busier regions where people are often in a rush and may not have time for anything apart from work.

Moving to Pennsylvania may help you slow down your life

Since Pennsylvania is a rather quiet state apart from the big cities, moving to Pennsylvania may also make quite a lot of sense in case you feel stressed at your current home right now and want to move to a state where you can slow down your life so you may be able to reload your batteries and may also be better able to stay mentally and emotionally healthy in the long run.

Decent supply of material goods in most parts of Pennsylvania

Thanks to decent public infrastructure in most regions, you also don’t have to worry about running out of important material goods anytime soon and will rather find most things you need pretty close to your home in the urban parts of Pennsylvania.

You will find solid medical infrastructure in the big cities

As long as you move to one of the big cities of Pennsylvania, you can also be pretty sure to find decent doctors and hospitals nearby and may be able to get solid medical treatment so you may be able to recover from your health condition in a pretty efficient manner.

Decent education in the urban parts of Pennsylvania

You will also find many great schools and colleges in the big cities of Pennsylvania and can therefore make sure that your kids get proper education so they will have good chances of succeeding in life later on.

You can learn a lot about nature by moving to Pennsylvania

Since there are many beautiful places you can visit in nature, moving to Pennsylvania may also be great since you can learn a lot about natural processes and may also become more aware of why it is really important to protect our environment as best as possible and may just live an eco-friendlier life in general in the long run.

Pennsylvania is not the most crowded state

While the big cities of Pennsylvania can be pretty crowded, you will not run into large groups of people in the rural parts of Pennsylvania often and may therefore be able to live your life in a rather quiet manner without getting distracted from the things you have planned.

You will often have enough space for yourself in public

You will also find more than enough recreational spaces in the big cities of Pennsylvania where you can just relax in public and also in case you want to be on your own and don’t want to have company, you will still find many places where you can just sit on a bench and think about the things that may bother you right now.

Traffic jams are not a big problem outside the major cities

Another upside to moving to Pennsylvania is that traffic jams are not a big problem outside the big metropolitan regions and you may therefore be able to get around by car in a pretty efficient manner while people moving to Los Angeles or other more congested regions may get stuck in traffic quite often and may lose lots of precious time in the long run.

Many people in Pennsylvania are not as career-focused as in many other regions

Since many people in Pennsylvania are not as career-focused as in many other states, you may also find more people to have nice conversations with and socializing may also be much easier compared to regions where people just care about their professional lives and may not notice anything around them anymore.

Decent internet connection in most parts of Pennsylvania

You should also know that most people in Pennsylvania have pretty decent internet connection and this can not only be great since you may be able to work from home but you can also make nice video calls with your loved ones from other states so you may be able to stay emotionally connected with them even during times you can’t see them in person.

High level of cultural diversity in the big cities of Pennsylvania

If you move to the major cities of Pennsylvania, you will also be able to experience high levels of cultural diversity and may also be able to enjoy different ways of life so you may be able to learn quite a lot about your own life and may be able to adopt some helpful characteristics.

You can try many delicious foods in Pennsylvania

Thanks to many different cultural influences, you will also be able to enjoy delicious foods from various parts of the world in the big cities of Pennsylvania and this can not only improve your overall quality of life but may also give you some inspiration when it comes to cooking at home.

Interesting climatic conditions for people living in Pennsylvania

Since you can experience warm summers and pretty cold winters, you can go swimming in summer and doing winters sports during the cold period of the year while people moving to Florida or other warmer regions often just don’t have as much climatic diversity and may get fed up with warm weather in the long run.

Pennsylvania may become increasingly popular in the future

Even though Pennsylvania may not be the most popular state yet, things may change in the future since many people currently living in more expensive regions think about moving to Pennsylvania to lower their living costs and in case many people move to Pennsylvania, it may become an even more interesting place to live and overall quality of life may increase even further.

Pennsylvania may be a great place to raise your kids

Since there are so many nice things you can do in Pennsylvania nature, it can also be a great place to raise your kids since you can raise them in a rather safe environment and can also teach your kids quite a lot about nature so they can become responsible adults while you can just have a great time with your family doing those nature activities.

Pennsylvania may be a great place to retire

Since there are so many free things to do in Pennsylvania and also living and housing costs are rather low and you can enjoy lots of beautiful nature, Pennsylvania may also be a great place to retire for people who don’t receive a high pension but still want to live a decent lifestyle during the last period of their lives.

Pennsylvania may be an underrated state

Since there are many nice things you can do in Pennsylvania at a rather low price tag, it may still be considered an underrated state and by moving to Pennsylvania, you may be able to reap many benefits at a lower price compared to people moving to other regions where overall price levels are much higher.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Pennsylvania.

Yet, there are also some drawbacks of living in Pennsylvania that I want to discuss for you in the following so you will get a more realistic picture of reality and will be better able to decide whether you still want to move to Pennsylvania or rather want to live your life in Arizona or other interesting regions instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Pennsylvania

1. Unemployment is a serious problem in Pennsylvania
2. Many low-qualified people have a hard time finding and keeping decent jobs
3. Many people have to work multiple jobs to survive
4. Not as many big corporations to work for as in many other states
5. Hard to build a strong business network in many parts of Pennsylvania
6. Rather low income level in Pennsylvania
7. Public transport gets worse outside of the big cities
8. You may urgently need a car to get around in an efficient manner
9. You may have a hard time finding good medical infrastructure in the rural parts of the state
10. Nightlife is not really great outside of the big cities of Pennsylvania
11. Not many great sports teams in the rural parts of Pennsylvania
12. Limited number of entertainment options outside of the big cities
13. You may miss fancy shopping opportunities in many parts of Pennsylvania
14. Limited number of great museums in Pennsylvania
15. You may miss decent art scenes in Pennsylvania
16. Pennsylvania may be too quiet for you
17. You may get bored with the Pennsylvania lifestyle in the long run
18. Winters are too cold for many people in Pennsylvania
19. Pennsylvania doesn’t have a coastline
20. Hard to find really good education in the rural parts of Pennsylvania
21. Hard to get to some remote regions in Pennsylvania
22. Limited level of cultural diversity outside of the big cities of Pennsylvania
23. Pennsylvania may not be the most popular state
24. Some people in Pennsylvania are still pretty conservative and traditional
25. High levels of inequality in many parts of Pennsylvania
26. Distances can be pretty long in the rural parts of Pennsylvania
27. Many people in Pennsylvania live a rather inefficient lifestyle
28. Pennsylvania may not attract as many talented people as many other states
29. Agricultural pollution may be significant in many parts of the state
30. Pennsylvania may not be the greatest place to live for young people
31. Rather questionable future outlook for Pennsylvania

Unemployment is a serious problem in Pennsylvania

One problem with living in Pennsylvania is that unemployment rates are pretty high in most regions and economic conditions are rather difficult so you may have a pretty hard time in the Pennsylvania job market.

Many low-qualified people have a hard time finding and keeping decent jobs

In general, people who only have low education levels often have trouble finding decent jobs and may have to work under pretty poor conditions for a rather low wage and may therefore really struggle to make a living in this region.

Many people have to work multiple jobs to survive

If you don’t have proper education, you may even have to work multiple jobs just to pay your bills since many of those jobs will only pay pretty poor money and you may therefore not be able to afford any luxury for quite a long time.

Not as many big corporations to work for as in many other states

While you may find some big corporations to work for in the big cities of Pennsylvania, it is hard to find many big corporations in the rural parts of the state and people moving to Pennsylvania may therefore have worse career prospects compared to people moving to Oakland or other regions where overall economic conditions may be much better.

Hard to build a strong business network in many parts of Pennsylvania

Since it is pretty hard to find really good jobs in the Pennsylvania region, you may also have a rather hard time building a strong business network since many influential people just leave this region sooner or later and this may really slow down your career progress quite a lot in the long run.

Rather low income level in Pennsylvania

Another downside to living in Pennsylvania is that also the overall income level is below the US average and you may therefore have a rather hard time making really good money from your job and in case your goal is to get rich as quickly as possible, there may be better places out there.

Public transport gets worse outside of the big cities

While you may find decent public transport in the biggest cities, you should still know that public transportation infrastructure gets significantly worse outside the major metropolitan regions and getting around by bus or train in an efficient manner is almost impossible in most rural regions of this state.

You may urgently need a car to get around in an efficient manner

Since public transport is not a real option in many parts of Pennsylvania, you may also urgently need a car to get around in this state and in case you are no longer able to drive due to various possible reasons, you may just get stuck at home and may not be mobile enough to enjoy your life to its fullest.

You may have a hard time finding good medical infrastructure in the rural parts of the state

You should also know that the number of good doctors and hospitals is rather limited in the rural parts of Pennsylvania and in case of medical emergency, it may take you quite a long time to find proper treatment and it may already be too late when you finally get someone to help you.

Nightlife is not really great outside of the big cities of Pennsylvania

Another disadvantage of living in Pennsylvania is that you should also not expect to find many great bars and clubs in the rural parts of the state and in case you are a party person, you should either move to the big cities or rather move to Las Vegas or other more vibrant regions.

Not many great sports teams in the rural parts of Pennsylvania

Also in case you are a sports team and want to watch many games live in person, you may not get happy with the options you would have in the rural parts of the state since there will just not be many sports teams at the highest level outside of the big cities.

Limited number of entertainment options outside of the big cities

Also in case you are the type of person who needs adrenaline and action all day long, you may just not get happy with overall entertainment options in the rural parts of Pennsylvania since there may just not be much to do apart from spending time in nature.

You may miss fancy shopping opportunities in many parts of Pennsylvania

Compared to many other states, fashion also doesn’t play as of a big role in most parts of Pennsylvania and in case you want to follow latest fashion trends, you may just not get happy with the lifestyle in most parts of Pennsylvania.

Limited number of great museums in Pennsylvania

Another downside to moving to Pennsylvania is that you may also not find as many great museums as in many other parts of the US and you may just not be able to have a look at as many unique and well-known art artifacts as you might have wished.

You may miss decent art scenes in Pennsylvania

In general, you will also have a rather hard time finding a decent art scene outside of the big cities and may therefore not be able to hang out with as many great artists as people living in New Orleans or other regions where art often plays a more important role.

Pennsylvania may be too quiet for you

You should also know that Pennsylvania can be a pretty quiet state and if you don’t like living in a rather laid-back atmosphere but rather need more action around you, chances are you would not get happy with living in the rural parts of this state in the long run.

You may get bored with the Pennsylvania lifestyle in the long run

Since overall entertainment options are rather limited in many rural regions of Pennsylvania, you may also just get bored with the Pennsylvania way of life in the long run and may want to move to more interesting and vibrant places sooner or later.

Winters are too cold for many people in Pennsylvania

Another problem with moving to Pennsylvania is that winters can be pretty cold and in case you are the type of person who can’t stand cold weather at all, you may be better off moving to Dallas or other much warmer regions where cold winters are pretty rare.

Pennsylvania doesn’t have a coastline

Also in case you love surfing and doing water sports, you may get disappointed in Pennsylvania since the state doesn’t have a coastline and you may therefore often envy people living in Oregon or other regions who are able to do those nice things on a regular basis.

Hard to find really good education in the rural parts of Pennsylvania

Another disadvantage of moving to Pennsylvania is that even though you will find decent schools and colleges in the big cities, overall quality of education still gets worse in the rural regions and you may therefore have to drive your kids long distances for bringing them to school and back.

Hard to get to some remote regions in Pennsylvania

You should also know that there are some remote regions in Pennsylvania that are just not well-connected to the world and in case you want to move to one of those regions, your loved ones from other states may have a hard time visiting you and you may just not have as many guests as you might have hoped for.

Limited level of cultural diversity outside of the big cities of Pennsylvania

While you will find many different cultural influences in the big cities of Pennsylvania, overall level of cultural diversity is still rather limited in the rural parts of the state and you may not be able to meet many interesting people from various parts of the world in smaller towns or villages.

Pennsylvania may not be the most popular state

You should also know that Pennsylvania is still not considered the most popular state and your loved ones may not understand your decision of moving to Pennsylvania and you may have to justify quite a lot in this regard.

Some people in Pennsylvania are still pretty conservative and traditional

While you will find many tolerant people in Pennsylvania, some people are still pretty conservative and traditional and may not appreciate alternative ways as much as in many other regions and you may therefore have a harder time becoming a valued member of society if you don’t fit into the mainstream way of life.

High levels of inequality in many parts of Pennsylvania

You should also know that Pennsylvania has to deal with high levels of inequality, especially in the big cities where poverty is a major issue and you will see many rather unpleasant things.

Distances can be pretty long in the rural parts of Pennsylvania

Since distances are often pretty long in the rural parts of the state, it may take you quite a long time to find most things you need for daily life and you may just have to spend lots of time organizing your life in general.

Many people in Pennsylvania live a rather inefficient lifestyle

Compared to people living in the big metropolitan regions, people in the rural parts of Pennsylvania often also live a rather inefficient lifestyle and may not get as many things done as people in urban regions since they may just have to spend more time on rather unproductive things, for instance commuting to work or other rather unpleasant topics.

Pennsylvania may not attract as many talented people as many other states

Since Pennsylvania may not be the most popular state and there are not as many big corporations to work for as in many other states where income levels are much higher, you may also have a rather hard time meeting many talented and ambitious people and learning from the best of the best may be much harder in this region.

Agricultural pollution may be significant in many parts of the state

You should also know that agriculture still plays an important role in many parts of Pennsylvania and you may therefore also have to deal with unpleasant smell in the rural regions from time to time.

Pennsylvania may not be the greatest place to live for young people

Since there may not be many exciting things to do outside of the big cities, many young people may also consider leaving the rural parts of Pennsylvania and only the older generation may be left in the long run.

Rather questionable future outlook for Pennsylvania

Due to rather high unemployment rates and many social issues the state has to deal with, also overall future outlook for Pennsylvania is rather unclear and you can’t be sure that overall quality of life may not drop in many regions sooner or later.

Top 10 Moving To Pennsylvania Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Pennsylvania A Good Place To Live?

While moving to Pennsylvania can make a lot of sense since living and housing costs are fairly low and you can enjoy lots of beautiful nature, you should also not forget that income levels are pretty low, unemployment is a serious problem and Pennsylvania may also have to deal with many social problems.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Pennsylvania by yourself so you can make the best possible decision according to your individual preferences.

Most Popular Cities To Live In Pennsylvania – Comparison

Alternative States To Live

If you no longer want to move to Pennsylvania, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Ohio

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Delaware

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Oklahoma

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/PA

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.