COMMENT BY
COMMENT ABOUT PLACE
West Chester, PA
COMMENT
re: The good and the bad of Pennsylvania - 5/18/20
Lived here virtually all my life. In a state this large you cannot generalize, so you have to explore the situation town by town. I live in a very affluent and developed part of Chester County. I've also lived in Philadelphia. I cannot list pros & cons because one mans pro is another mans con. For the purposes of this forum I will attempt to generalize. Take this list for what its worth...
-Politically, liberal leaning (unless you venture into mid or upstate)
-Taxes seem slightly above average
-Home prices:Above average
-Cost of living: Above average
-Weather/Climate varies greatly season to season. Harsh winters with snowfall and ice across the state
-Religion: There are many religious institutions across the state, but Ive found most people to be non committal, and faith has very little presence in the culture
-Education: Standard of education seems slightly higher than normal. The state offers some of the best colleges and universities in the nation. Humanist Liberal views will make their way into the classroom, K through higher education even in some private institutions.
-Activities:There are a number of historic sites in the state. There are parks, rivers, lakes. Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Reading, and Harrisburg offer a number of amenities and events. The Jersey and Maryland beaches are only about 2-3 hours away.
-Crime rates are very low for the majority of the state. Philadelphia skews the state average, with some of the worst crime rates in the country. Be careful when exploring the city. As long as you stay in certain neighborhoods you should be absolutely fine.
-Manners: Faster paced. Not as cordial, personal or well mannered as other locations in the US. More achievement based, less relational.
-Several good job opportunities, especially in the city and surrounding suburban towns.
-Reasonably good place to raise a family
If you're a devout Christian and/or conservative there are rural pockets where you will feel more welcomed, developed areas where you will not. If you enjoy the warm weather, you're out of luck for a little over half of the year. Pennsylvania is really a little bit of everything, so if you're able to adjust to the changing seasons and willing to deal with a mix of influences and people its a good bet.
I've traveled to various locations up and down the east coast. Held temporary residency in southern locations and in the mid west. I currently reside in Pa. This is my assessment having spent the majority of my life here. I hope this helps.