Best, So-So and Worst Towns in PA (Pittsburgh, Scranton: 2009, sex offenders)

[openless]

as far as retirement, pennsylvania has the highest percentage of seniors other than florida. hunters, seniors and corrupt politicians.

[sealerpal]

Openless, they don't retire here. They've just lived here forever and gotten old.

[I LOVE PA!]

Basically speaking, I think Pennsylvanians live longer! My grandfather and most of his siblings, all born and raised in Pa., lived well into their 90's. My grandfather was born in 1899, lived till he was 94, he always said it was his goal to live in 3 different centuries, he would have had to be 101!

[Katiana]

It's the Scandinavians who live almost forever. There are large Scandinavian settlements in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minn with a good bit of overflow to Colo. Also lots in Utah as there are many people of the LDS religion of Scandinavian descent. My father-in-law, a full-blooded Swede (though born in the US) lived to be 97. His grandmother lived to be 101 in Sweden.

[LiveInPA2]

Stay away from Scranton/Wilkes Barre/Hazleton.

Lots of illegals, corrupt politicians, cronyism, apathy, highway bridges constantly in "emergency repair" status, crime, low-paying distribution center jobs, etc. There's a reason the population here has been dropping steadily over the years, just as there's a reason that the average resident age is nearly 50. Anyone with the ability, money, or ambition to get out does so as soon as possible. Hopefully I'll be joining that group VERY soon!

[kgchomes]

I am thinking of moving to Monroe County Area. Is the west end okay such as Broadheadsville or further west? Any info would be helpful. Is the lake area nice up north?

Thanks, Glenn

[Ohiogirl81]

I love my hometown of Erie. The winters will kill you, but the summers, as short as they are, are almost worth it. Housing is dirt cheap. There's a lot to do there, if you look. That being said, the economy and employment situations are wretched. Taxes are high. The political climate is beyond ridiculous. The mindset is mired in the 1940s.

It's a good place to vacation, or a good place to be from.

Of course, I live in Montgomery County, where taxes are higher and the the politicians here make the Erie gang look like pikers!

If I hear one more New Yorker complain that the Poconos doesn't have an IKEA yet, I think I'm going to have to slap them upside the head with a whoopie pie!

Thanks for the laugh! That makes a great visual ... But please don't send them to the Conshohocken store. There's enough traffic already.

[willns]

Not sure what you consider "making it" but according to sullivan county's web site only 18 people make over 200k a year in the whole county.....there are 20 homes on my street in bucks county and everyone of them makes over 200k. A median income countywide of only 30 k isnt very impressive either.

Originally Posted by BlackCatPhotography

Actually, Forest County is the smallest, population and land wise, with only about 4,950 residents.

Population is 6,556 in Sullivan County... With a summer population of over 15,000.

OMG... Where the hell do yo u get your information? Your post is just riddled with inconsistency.. It wouldn't take much of an internet search to find the correct information.

Actually, Eagles Mere isn't for tourists.. it's for those who have worked hard and made it big. It's a place for the heads of industry and the business world to get away from the city and relax. It's a resort that is unspoiled, unlike the Poconos.. They have two of the highest rated restaurants on the East Coast, with chefs from all over the world, a country club, a soda fountain, a beautiful lake and beach.. The town is so nice, it's a great place to visit.. Yes, they do have standards.. Why shouldn't they? They work hard, and spent a lot of money to have that town the way it is.

Dushore has a population of 663. It is the center of commerce for the county, it always has been. It was settled by Aristide Aubert DuThouras in 1794, he worked for Marie Antoinette, fought in the Battle of the Nile, was a famous French Naval Captain, and has four Naval ships named for him. There is also a French Naval ship named for Dushore. We have a pharmacy, three banks, 1 bar, a hotel, two grocery stores, seven restaurants, a coffee shop, an art gallery, an herbal foods shop, a spa, a gym, a library, a post office, three hardware stores, three department stores; five chain stores; three gas stations, two car dealer ships, three clothing stores, four barber shops, two factories; two funeral homes; an Ambulance Service; two medical clinics; a Newspaper; a radio station; five service stations; a senior citizens center; five churches; a school; a fire department with an aerial ladder; two dentists, two wineries, and a feed mill.

The real estate and property values in Sullivan County are among the highest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We have one of the HIGHEST graduation rates in Pennsylvania. The highest scoring on state exams in both High School and Grammar School. Small classes, better time ratio for teachers to students. Everyone in my class of 84 students graduated, most went to college, and about a dozen joined the Armed forces. We care that our children can lead productive lives inside and outside of Sullivan County.


Don't knock the place if you don't know what you are talking about city boy!

http://www.sullivancounty-pa.us/edindex.html

(broken link)

[willns]

If you're looking around pittsburgh, mt. lebanon/south hills has unbeatable schools great old homes, and close to everything. If you're looking around philly, Yardley, Newtown and Doylestown are okay aside from the cost of housing (and newtown's corrupt board of supervisors) the people arent overly friendly, but when you work 80 hr weeks, being sociable every time you see someone isnt high on the list. The west side of philly is newer, but I havent lived over on that side in 10 years so I'm not as familiar with what has been going on. The city of philly itself is a pit unless you can afford to live in Chestnut Hill which is great. The city of Pittsburgh has really gone downhill too since they started section 8 housing. The neighborhood I grew up in was 2 miles from downtown, and had very little serious crime.....12 years later and there is a shooting every week.

[plath]

I love Philly, but as "heatam" said, it's not the best place to live. (And that said, any old city is going to have its share of crime and taxes in PA in general are bad). And I don't mind the Poconos at all because it's beautiful but not so much to do, which is a reason to stay away. Gettysburg is nice and a college town but also not tons and tons going on otherwise (I mean it's in the styx, by PA standards. I know two professors there and they go crazy for want of things).

I'd totally stay away from Allentown, unless you are dead set on this area then go to the west-end where there are at least nice houses. I also think Easton is something of a s-hole, though I've known people who lived in the high-end area and those places were nice (but I still wouldn't live in Easton).

Best places: I really like (and have posted on) Bethlehem and even Nazareth. And I do think anything that gives you easy access to Philly, NYC, and Jersey is good for variety. But it depends what you want, can afford, and how much stimulation you need. I also think that Lancaster is nice for living, though again: not much to do. And Collegeville (technically a sub. of Philly) is very nice and also growing (things to do).

Mostly when it comes to PA there's (still) a lot of farm country and open space...I am def. an "eastern PA" person, but in general if living in PA I'd at least consider a small town that puts you in close contact to a major city, or just the city if you are up for that sort of thing.

Hope this helps.