Is PA depressing? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Lancaster: lawyer, incomes, living in)

[donnieboy]

i really think the pittsburg haters need to go bye-bye. i have been reading these postings for a while now here and i half to say that most of the haters dont know a think about the city because most of them live outside of it or came here from other places and dont live in it long enough to get a good feel for the city.

[MrTudo]

Personally I always liked Pa, no matter what people said about it

Seriously though, parts of Pa are great. I used to like going to New Hope when I was a teenager which was about 300 years ago. I lived one winter in Wayne Cnty and it was terrific. Had 60 inches of snow in a 5 day period. I went back to Fla a month later and the temp that day was MINUS -18. Wow!

When I arrived in SW Fla about 16 hours later, all I can say is that everything looked brighter, newer, and it was warm and wonderful.

I would love to own a place in Wayne Cnty as a getaway place but I'll never leave Fla as my permanent home.

[MrTudo]

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[sand70]

I've lived in PA 6 years, and yes, it is depressing. It's wet and muddy all the time, and not much sun from November to May. The people aren't very friendly, particularly the people of German descent (sorry).

But, it's not all bad, and there are some things I will miss when we move out of state this spring.

[carolinajack]

it can be depressing but not all of it. Philly area is depressing in the suburbs and in the inner city areas that are really poor and dangerous but in Center City Philadelphia and chestnut hill area is not depressing but rather really nice.

Also go up I-95 to New Hope, Pa and other rivertowns which are really nice with shopping and cool arts and restaurants.

[soulsurv]

The only depressing thing I see is the tone of some of these posts. Granted, I'm not familiar with the northern part of the state, but here in the SE, things aren't depressing at all, in my opinion. I'm not nuts about the hot summers, much preferring snow and temperatures 40-60 degrees, but Philly has some great spots (I'm in the suburbrs), not to mention some of the best hospitals and universities on the planet. I'm 15 minutes from the Main Line as well as beautiful Chester County. I can pop over the bridge to Gloucester County, NJ, for wonderful fresh vegetables in the summer, or do a short drive to DE for tax-free shopping. My neighborhood is a friendly and pristine place to live. Just can't be sad about that...sorry...

[MB2]

Originally Posted by sand70

I've lived in PA 6 years, and yes, it is depressing. It's wet and muddy all the time, and not much sun from November to May. The people aren't very friendly, particularly the people of German descent (sorry).

But, it's not all bad, and there are some things I will miss when we move out of state this spring.

EXCUSE ME????
I am NOT of that descent...I AM GERMAN, born and raised. And, yeah, I am not friendly either, when I have to deal with negativ people like you ! Avoid them, as much as I can, to be exact . Maybe it's you....ever think about that?
German people are stubborn, and known to be thick headed. But, we are well mannered, know how to create "Gemuetlichkeit", make someone feel welcome, and we are very, very family orientated.
I am very social, very relaxed, and easy going.....But, the claws come out, when my foot get's stepped on!
So, yes, maybe it's better for you, to move out of the state, and hopefully you will fair better with descendents of other nationalities!! (Hopefully, you won't have to learn a different language, to understand how THEY feel about you!! lol)
Good luck to ya....

[eventlady]

I've lived in PA for the past 20 years. I have lived in the Northwest and southeast and have visited just about everywhere in between because I have friends and relatives "just about everywhere in between". I grew up in one of (what I considered at the time to be) the most depressing towns/counties anywhere. It was a low income farming community with half-assed education and nothing for youth to do. "Fun" consisted of getting drunk and having sex. Slight exageration, perhaps, but it lets you see the bigger picture of WHY "PA is depressing"... If you live in a small, run down town, you grow up with poor education, low expectation, and nothing to do but get drunk and get pregnant. Then, as a young parent with no education (so no good job) you stay in the area, shop at the local Kwik-Fill for cigarettes and milk and raise more babies that will grow up and get drunk and get pregnant. YES, that can be very depressing!

But, even within those small, run down communities and you find beautiful nature trails, lakes, rivers, national forests, etc...

And then going beyond the small towns and in to the thriving, revitalized mid-size towns you see how they are CHOSING to not let themselves STAY run down, but to begin to rebuild their storefronts, colonial homes, and public parks to make amazing, UNDEPRESSING places to live and raise families.

And Philadelphia and its suburbs certainly hold their own! Sure, there are places within the city limits and beyond that compare economically to the small, run down towns that I referred to before with poor education and "nothing" for the youth to do but drink and have sex. But, there are colleges and universities at every turn, hospitals nationally reknown, and more impressive restaurants and bars than one person could ever possibly manage to visit in one lifetime.

So, yes... parts of PA can be depressing, but it's not about PA... it's about the people and an unfortunate state of mind. People that know nothing better and choose not to know better. You don't have to be one of them.

[MB2]

Originally Posted by eventlady

I've lived in PA for the past 20 years. I have lived in the Northwest and southeast and have visited just about everywhere in between because I have friends and relatives "just about everywhere in between". I grew up in one of (what I considered at the time to be) the most depressing towns/counties anywhere. It was a low income farming community with half-assed education and nothing for youth to do. "Fun" consisted of getting drunk and having sex. Slight exageration, perhaps, but it lets you see the bigger picture of WHY "PA is depressing"... If you live in a small, run down town, you grow up with poor education, low expectation, and nothing to do but get drunk and get pregnant. Then, as a young parent with no education (so no good job) you stay in the area, shop at the local Kwik-Fill for cigarettes and milk and raise more babies that will grow up and get drunk and get pregnant. YES, that can be very depressing!

But, even within those small, run down communities and you find beautiful nature trails, lakes, rivers, national forests, etc...

And then going beyond the small towns and in to the thriving, revitalized mid-size towns you see how they are CHOSING to not let themselves STAY run down, but to begin to rebuild their storefronts, colonial homes, and public parks to make amazing, UNDEPRESSING places to live and raise families.

And Philadelphia and its suburbs certainly hold their own! Sure, there are places within the city limits and beyond that compare economically to the small, run down towns that I referred to before with poor education and "nothing" for the youth to do but drink and have sex. But, there are colleges and universities at every turn, hospitals nationally reknown, and more impressive restaurants and bars than one person could ever possibly manage to visit in one lifetime.

So, yes... parts of PA can be depressing, but it's not about PA... it's about the people and an unfortunate state of mind. People that know nothing better and choose not to know better. You don't have to be one of them.

AMEN!!!
I second that kind of thought. BRAVO!!!!

[ltguid]

Oh, Man, you've never been to southern Delaware, now have you?

You want depressing, drive straight down the center of Delmarva (not at the shore....).......

Pennsylvania is a Party in comparison!!!