Best, So-So and Worst Towns in PA (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: relocation, salary)

[RowJimmy]

Originally Posted by sealerpal

It's just my opinion. I base it on my experiences there. I feel the area's going nowhere unless you count new stadiums and sports related improvements. Aside from that, there's not much there. Low paying jobs, poverty, bad roads, crime, undesireables.

Just my opinion though.

Pleaassseee. Why do you always have people who post such ignorant comments. Just sports related improvements. Haha. OK, having the most built LEED design buildings per capita(google LEED if you don't know what it is), the southside works (noticed as the country's best brownfield urban design project), the new PNC building downtown(Going for LEED also), downtown being renovated out with retail and restaurants, the north link for the light rail, and so much more. Also I am a young professional architectural engineer that came back. I love the burgh.

For your other comments (this as I came back from Denver0
Low paying jobs: (seems weird to me, because I read a article in the Post Gazette where they are paying young professionals more then most other cities and it is cheaper to live. I myself am making an healty amount more then I did in Denver)

Poverty: Have you ever been anywhere else besides you little suburb that you grew up in? Every city has poverty, and Pittsburgh has a lot less then Philly and the other eastern cities. Ever go to Shadyside, Squirell hill? I thought so.

Crime:OK, maybe more then that little two car garage suburb you grew up in, but Pittsburgh ranks very well with other cities in its crime rate.

Nothing to do: We have some of the best museums for a city our size, we got three major sports teams, we got great theaters, a good music scene, you can leave the city and go to Fallingwater, the Laural Highlands, hiking, etc. Maybe its just yourself that finds nothing to do.

Bad roads, I will give you that. We have bad roads. That is our Western Pa character though. Who cares if you have nice level asphalt to drive on? Seriously.

[warriorjp2006]

stay away from huntingdon county blair also look in fulton county like mercersburg nice town close to hagerstown md also

[teachbeach]

Gettysburg is not even in York County--it's about 40 miles away! There are parts of York county that are old, but have you seen the new building and housing developments? Who do you think can afford these houses? People with well paying jobs, most likely with higher education and expectations that their children will achieve the same. I find the influx, for the most part, refreshing. Sure, the traffic is worse, everything is more crowded, but we survive. York County is slow to change, it used to annoy me no end to hear "we've always done it that way." Now I just find it adds to the uniqueness of the type of people who live here.

[UrbanPottsville]

Originally Posted by denise817

Stay away from Schuylkill County. Very economically depressed. Nothing to do and not a lot of job opportunity.

Hmmmm, What about the Mine Tours in Ashland, Tuscarora and Locust Lake State Park. Denise, you got too picky about Schuylkill County! I have fun up there. Whats wrong with owning you're own business, what about the Schools. Why does Pottsville have such a big population (I think 16,000 is big, I live in a city of 80,000), more people are moving up there. Why are they moving up there, To get away from crime!!! Yes there is crime up there, but not much! Get a security alarm to fend off the Cow-Tippers!

Nothing to do: Hey, what about the Mine Tour, the Historic Walking Tour of Downtown Pottsville. I'll give you that if you like to shop.
No Jobs: What about being a Lawyer, a Judge, a Teacher, a Teller (Plenty of Banks in Pottsville), a Hotel Clerk, a Small Business Owner, the mines miss you!

[pinetar10]

latrobe is a nice town. there is a nice downtown area with a bunch of little shops, and then there's a strip on route 30 with a walmart, kmart, and some restaurants. I do not believe it has built up much in the past 16 years. Crime is virtually non-existant. If you want diversity though, latrobe is not for you. its almost all white people. Route 30 in Greensburg has really built up, so theres a lot of shopping and the like there.

Originally Posted by bap64

Hello to all. I am originally from New Alex/Blairsville area and have lived in central Florida for too long, 16 years. Florida sucks and crime is too high and I am thinking about moving back to Pa, preferably Latrobe area because I have always liked it there. What is crime like there? How much has that area grown, if any? Any input would be appreciated.

[njwife101]

We live in Jersey, and are very serious about moving to PA. I am looking foward to experincing all the nice things you have in PA. We are thinking about Bethlehem, or Quakertown, or maybe somewhere in Bucks county. Can you give me any info on what you think would be a good idea for long time NJ residents can lead a more relaxing life.

[toobusytoday]

NJwife,
I would suggest starting a new thread of just reading this one.

[3boys269]

I totally understand. We rent in Brooklyn and it is insane. We cannot afford to buy here and where here do you go??
We are looking to move to pa this summer, and we are actually going this weekend to look at some communities . we are looking in the lower macungie area, east penn school district. Also we are looking in other areas tht ar in the parkland school district. nazareth and bethlehem are also on our list.

good luck to you.

[reztrop]

I don't like the sprawl that's crawling through far eastern PA. Lots of beautiful farmland are being paved over with concrete to accomodate housing/strip malls. Nazareth is just one of many examples.

PA has one of the slowest population growth in the country, but it has the 5th highest loss rate of open space.

[JerseyShel]

I love PA. I grew up in Shoholola (Pike County) if my spellings off its been years sorry & Barryville (NY) and miss the small townness of it all. I have thought about 'going home' but found the jobs still arent there, the population still seems to double in the summer and even though no new business' have come to town home prices match Jersey. on a decent note it seems the weather has changed some and the Delaware doesnt run over as much or am I just not hearing about it as much even though I still have friends in the area???

in case you cant tell Im in Jersey now

as a kid my mom and I used to go the rainbow diner all the time for breakfast and Teddy knew as soon as we walked in what we wanted to eat, coffee cheeseburgers and homefries. we still go out once a week for breakfast only now even though its the same diner and usually the same waitress the only thing she knows is we want coffee - I guess thats something. when we got gas we went Harry's - he always had a good joke to tell, Ive used the same gas station here for 12 years and at most I get a smile with the 'yes?' they dont even ask how much gas you want its just 'yes?' we had a general store and Gus (the owner) knew everyones name and always asked about the family, on tuesdays at bingo there were usually 100 people at the firehouse and we all knew each other - when someone didnt show the first thing everyone was asking was is everything ok - did something happen do they need help, I miss that. I miss only hearing the train at night - even after 15 years here the traffic still keeps me up, I miss walking into the post office and taking a half hour to get the mail because some one always wanted to say hello and the post master was always asking how school was going - I think her name was Rosie. I couldn't get away with anything because everyone knew I was Debbie and Clif's daughter and they were quick to call my parents if I stepped out of line.

thats the kind of life I want for my kids - I want home to feel like home someplace were they belong and matter. here you could fall off the face of the earth & no one would notice. is there still a place like that or am I just living in a fantasy? I love Easton but could move to phillipsburg for the same price. every year we spend a long weekend in pottstown but agian I could stay in phillipsburg. from the amount Ive been in Allentown it seems the same. I LIKED Chambersburg alot and thought it would be a nice alturnative to harrisburg and it seemed like there was more there then where Im from but I hear traffic is outragous. I really liked Barnesville but couldn't find the "thats it' house. Hometown seemed cute but I couldnt find many listings there. I loved Lansford but couldnt find anything other then a family dollar and didnt think to ask while there if there was anything with in an hours drive. Ive been thinking about the outer areas of pittsburg (areas within a 30 mile drive) I found a house in Aliquippa but havent been able to find much on the town I think Im gonna check out the area soon but everyone I talk to says stay around Harrisburg since my other half is a mechanic and we DO NOT want to be easy reach of Jersey


any thoughts? it seems like most of the city type areas I like most of you 'natives' dont. I compare a city area to Jersey City and to me EVERYTHING seems safer