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Good comparison. I believe everything Penn has, NY can do it better. Phila and Pitt are fine cities, but are tough to stack up against NYC & Buffalo. Smaller cities like Syracuse, Albany, Ithaca, etc I like better than Harrisburg, Lancaster, Scranton, etc. And while the Poconos is are nice, I think you have to rate Niagra Falls as the better getaway.
That said, I'd probably choose to live in Pennsylvania first, because of affordability, and I really like the towns within an hours' drive of Philly.
Pennsylvania is a Shall Issue state, and one can legally get a concealed carry permit for a firearm (LTCF) if they pass a background check. We don't have silly gun bans, or magazine bans, and you can legally buy NFA items here (again with a background check). Cost of living, and taxes are generally lower in PA, and our climate is a little better. Ever spend a winter in Buffalo? PA has an abundant amount of energy in natural gas, and coal, and our government allows us to extract, and use it.
Having just gotten back from one of Long Island's excellent (and nationally underrated) beaches, it's tough not to go with New York here. Not only does New York City trump Philly plus Pittsburgh, you've got the ocean. I do like Pennsylvania, though.
I have traveled extensively within both PA and NY. While I do think both states are interesting and beautiful, I would say NY hands down. It simply has more interesting scenery, cities, towns, etc. The diversity within the state is astounding, from Long Island to NYC to the Adirondacks to Lake Ontario/Erie and the WNY cities of Buffalo and Rochester. I love NY and was born in Plattsburgh.
I like both states, but NY is or seems to be more diverse in more ways from the outdoor amenities(inc. a very good state park system), the people, the cost of living in different areas/parts of the state, the variety in the types of communities/cities and its proximity to major/dare I say world class cities(Toronto, Montreal, Boston, as well as Philly and of course NYC within the state), among other things.
Pennsylvania and New York are very similar geographically and climatically. Obviously NYC can't be beat, but keeping size in mind, the metro area of Philadelphia is just as appealing (possibily moreso) as the greater NYC area. I also think Pennsylvania's number 2 city (Pittsburgh) offers more then New Yorks number 2 city.
The only thing that bothers me about New York State residents is the chip on the shoulder attitude that I have seen quite often. Many tend to view PA has a country redneck state, when in reality NY state is essentially the exact same way outside of its major metro areas. PA seems to get called out more because its traditionally the most conservative state in the Northeast, and its the 2nd largest state.
If I could not live in New York City or Philadelphia, I would probably still choose PA.
With the major cities I like NYC best, then Philly, then Pittsburgh.. then the rest are here and there. As a state I've traveled more through NY State vs. PA and have enjoyed my time. On a sidenote, I was having a conversation with someone from PA the other day as I was planning a work trip to Allentown and he mentioned that PA has Philly on the East, Pittsburgh on the West and Mississippi in the middle. I've never heard this before..
Grew up in NYS and live in Philly now. Here's what I think:
Cities: Philly is great, and I prefer it, but NYC is in another class. PA has Philly, Pittsburgh, and several other cities. NY has NYC, Albany, Buffalo, Saratoga Springs, and several smaller cities. Overall, cities and towns go to NY for me.
Rural: PA has some gorgeous landscape, BUT, they frack. They destroy their land for monetary gain. That alone is a huge issue for me. I like the Poconos and all the parks, but they can't compete with the Catskills, Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, Niagara Falls. I think NY wins here.
Politics: Both states suck. Really more of a USA thing, but I see other states like Washington being more thoughtful and supportive to its residents. NYS and PA are both so stuck in the past with terrible politicians.
Other: NYS has oceanfront on Long Island which is beneficial. NYS also has Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands, so that's another added amenity. PA is arguably in a better location, close to Delaware, Maryland, DC. It also has close proximity to the ocean via NJ (but no oceanfront of its own). I do like NYS being close to Canada. Montreal and Toronto are two great cities, plus access to places like Burlington NH.
Pennsylvania and New York are very similar geographically and climatically. Obviously NYC can't be beat, but keeping size in mind, the metro area of Philadelphia is just as appealing (possibily moreso) as the greater NYC area. I also think Pennsylvania's number 2 city (Pittsburgh) offers more then New Yorks number 2 city.
The only thing that bothers me about New York State residents is the chip on the shoulder attitude that I have seen quite often. Many tend to view PA has a country redneck state, when in reality NY state is essentially the exact same way outside of its major metro areas. PA seems to get called out more because its traditionally the most conservative state in the Northeast, and its the 2nd largest state.
If I could not live in New York City or Philadelphia, I would probably still choose PA.
I think that sentiment is more of a NYC thing towards PA.
I'd say a difference between the two in terms of outside of the major metro areas is that in NY, you can find small college towns with a more "liberal" vibe and you can also find some small/rural towns or more of them with a visible degree of diversity.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-07-2017 at 08:09 AM..
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