Waynesburg/Greene County?? (Pittsburgh, Washington, Indiana: houses, college, income)

[Orwelleaut]

Does anyone know very much about this Southwesternmost corner of PA?

[Bazzwell]

For instance? What information do you seek?

[Orwelleaut]

Just spent some time in Waynesburg, and really enjoyed it. Very nice, peaceful little town. Friendly local people, and a little more laid back pace than around Pittsburgh. To me, it feels, socially, more like Northern WVA and Southeastern Ohio than Western PA, along the lines of the Wheeling area. Here are some questions about Greene County:

1) Where does Greene County rank income-wise among PA counties?

2) How expensive is land in Greene County?

3) Historically, has Greene County had the Eastern European presence typical of Western PA?

4) Are there many problems with acid mine runoff in the local creeks?

[Bazzwell]

(1) Greene ranks 66th out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Slow to develop with a heavy reliance on coal mines for a main industry.

(2) Slightly cheaper than Fayette and Washington, the surrounding counties. Taxes are higher though, again, the reliance on coal mines.

(3) Yes, but more in the smaller former coal related towns.

(4) Not that I'm aware of. Much has been done to clean things up over the past decades.

All in all a nice place without a lot of the troubles found in the nearby counties. Heavily rural with only one major city, Waynesburg. It does have a college and all the things one would need if quieter pace of life is what one desires.

[Orwelleaut]

I'm not too surprised it is 66'th. I could see that there is some Appalachian rural type poverty, but a lot of community pride in Waynesburg and the little villages. Rice's Landing, especially, is a neat little village. My wife was joking that some of the houses might be haunted, LOL!!

Which PA county ranks 67'th? I'm guessing either Indiana County, Jefferson County (DuBois), or maybe Forest County.

[Bazzwell]

Forest...bingo....67th.

Greene is really quite a nice place for the most part. The Carmichaels area has held up well and down toward Wind Ridge can be quite nice. Darn those taxes though, makes for a tough sell and tends to keep outsiders away. But they've always said you're not even considered a local unless your family has lived there a century or more.