What PA County is the best microcosm of the state as a whole? (Philadelphia: transplants, wealthy)

[bridge12]

We often hear that Pennsylvania is a microcosm of the whole U.S. So what County would you say best represents the state?

I think there are a lot of options. Perhaps Dauphin County? It has a city plagued with Pennsylvania's typical urban problems but it's also revitalizing and gentrifying. It has wealthy, educated suburbs trending left (Hershey, Linglestown) and blue-collar suburbs trending right (Highspire). It has traditional blue-collar rural areas in the northern part of the county which have more in common with the Poconos. Stagnant/little population growth. But the southern part of the county is more urban and like the southeastern part of the state, growing and urbanizing. People often divide Pennsylvania politically, economically, and demographically at the blue ridge. Dauphin County is the only county on both sides of the blue ridge.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by bridge12

We often hear that Pennsylvania is a microcosm of the whole U.S. So what County would you say best represents the state?

I think there are a lot of options. Perhaps Dauphin County? It has a city plagued with Pennsylvania's typical urban problems but it's also revitalizing and gentrifying. It has wealthy, educated suburbs trending left (Hershey, Linglestown) and blue-collar suburbs trending right (Highspire). It has traditional blue-collar rural areas in the northern part of the county which have more in common with the Poconos. Stagnant/little population growth. But the southern part of the county is more urban and like the southeastern part of the state, growing and urbanizing. People often divide Pennsylvania politically, economically, and demographically at the blue ridge. Dauphin County is the only county on both sides of the blue ridge.

I was actually thinking Dauphin County. Demographically, it’s also a good bellwether for the state as a whole.

[PAhippo]

I'd say it's impossible pick one such county. Too many variables throughout the state.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by PAhippo

I'd say it's impossible pick one such county. Too many variables throughout the state.

True, but I think the urban/suburban/rural mix of Dauphin County, and its greatly varying topography, arguably comes closest.

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by bridge12

We often hear that Pennsylvania is a microcosm of the whole U.S. So what County would you say best represents the state?

I think there are a lot of options. Perhaps Dauphin County? It has a city plagued with Pennsylvania's typical urban problems but it's also revitalizing and gentrifying. It has wealthy, educated suburbs trending left (Hershey, Linglestown) and blue-collar suburbs trending right (Highspire). It has traditional blue-collar rural areas in the northern part of the county which have more in common with the Poconos. Stagnant/little population growth. But the southern part of the county is more urban and like the southeastern part of the state, growing and urbanizing. People often divide Pennsylvania politically, economically, and demographically at the blue ridge. Dauphin County is the only county on both sides of the blue ridge.

Berks County is probably an even better example of all of that plus a stretch into the Philly suburbs on the eastern end along 422.

[trackstar13]

How about Allegheny? You have urban, rural, suburban, exurban, former steel towns, etc. all in the same county. While the politics skew a little more blue than is representative of the state as a whole, the Congressional Race between Lamb and Parnell was pretty close. The topography of Allegheny county is also pretty representative and you have everything from steep urban streets to flat river valleys and even some farmland.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by trackstar13

How about Allegheny? You have urban, rural, suburban, exurban, former steel towns, etc. all in the same county. While the politics skew a little more blue than is representative of the state as a whole, the Congressional Race between Lamb and Parnell was pretty close. The topography of Allegheny county is also pretty representative and you have everything from steep urban streets to flat river valleys and even some farmland.

I thought about Allegheny, but it’s very characteristically SW PA—not that it doesn’t have things in common with the rest of the state, but it’s distinctively its own region, just like SE PA.

The Allegheny Plateu is also its own topographic animal. The “peaks” and “valleys” are all roughly the same height because it’s an ancient plateau that gradually became desiccated through erosion. Dauphin County has Piedmont-style rolling hills and valleys, along with true mountains on the edge of the Ridge and Valley region.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

Berks County is probably an even better example of all of that plus a stretch into the Philly suburbs on the eastern end along 422.

I think Berks’ proximity to Philadelphia’s suburban collar counties gives it a lot of SE PA qualities you don’t find in the rest of the state, from sports allegiances to accents. Dauphin “splits the difference” much more with points North, South, East, and West.

One thing that Harrisburg (and even more so, York) has that the rest of the state doesn’t is a Baltimore influence, by virtue of transplants and commuting patterns.

[bridge12]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

Berks County is probably an even better example of all of that plus a stretch into the Philly suburbs on the eastern end along 422.

Berks County has a good mix but Reading is a city that's majority Hispanic with no gentrification. Somewhat atypical of PA.

[Duderino]

I've always thought of the Lehigh Valley, specifically Northampton County, as being a pretty good microcosm of Pennsylvania.

Urban, rural, East Coast, Rust Belt, nearly 50/50 divided politically, with slight Democratic tilt, ethnic whites, new immigrant hubs. May be too far east for some to be considered representative of Western PA, but it makes sense every other way.