York County
In my opinion, York County, Pa. is a great place to live. I grew up in the Dillsburg area (northern part of the county), and would wholeheartedly recommend it. After college, I have every intention of returning if possible. Most everywhere in York County is quite safe, schools are great, jobs abound, and there is lots to do. The area simply has many positive qualities.
First, let's start with location. York County, in south-central Pa. along the Maryland border, is very convenient to local cities and also many of the mid-Atlantic's most important metropolitan areas. Consequently, there are plenty of jobs in all sectors, including healthcare, education, financial, government, and industry. In Dillsburg, we are 14 miles from Harrisburg, 22 from York and Gettysburg, and 12 from Carlisle. We are about 1.25 hrs. from Baltimore, 2 hrs. from Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, and 3.5 from New York and Pittsburgh--all cities full of cultural opportunities.
Harrisburg (population ~48,000) is one of the biggest sources of jobs for people in the northern part of the county. Many of these are state jobs, but other major employers in the area are Hershey Medical Center, Holy Spirit Hospital, Harrisburg Hospital, and various local companies. The city is also home to the State Capitol, the State Museum, the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, the Forum (a performance theater), many great downtown restaurants, and a minor league (AA) baseball team--the Harrisburg Senators. Shopping is easy to come by, and includes the Outlets at Hershey, Harrisburg Mall (anchored by Macy's and Bass Pro Shops), Colonial Park Mall (including Boscov's, Bon-Ton, J.C. Penney, and Sears), and Capital City Mall (with Macy's, J.C. Penney, and Sears). Many other stores (Target, Best Buy, Kohl's, Wal-Mart, Staples, Lowe's, Home Depot) and plenty of restaurants can be found on the Carlisle Pike (Route 11 in Mechanicsburg) and in an area on the east side of Harrisburg known as Colonial Park. The city also has beautiful parks, including Wildwood Lake, Italian Lake, City Island, and Riverfront Park.
York (40,000) is also a pleasant little city, pretty good for jobs, and many people, especially in southern York County, commute to Baltimore. It is very old city with plenty of history going as far back as the early 1740s. The downtown contains beautiful historic sites, restaurants, churches, shops, and a performance theater known as the Strand Capital. There are just as many shopping opportunities, which include the Galleria and West Manchester Malls. In the area of industry, it is home to Harley Davidson Motorcycles and Wolfgang Candies. Lancaster (56,000) is just across the Susquehanna River from York County, and is the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. It is surrounded by beautiful Amish and Mennonite farmlands, and it is not at all an uncommon occurence to see a buggy making its way down the road.
If you choose southern York County, you will have Baltimore (650,000) within as little as 40 miles. This city is full of job opportunities, and is where my dad has been working for the past seven years. There are as many as ten hospitals in the city, colleges (Johns Hopkins, Loyola, Notre Dame, U. of Md. Baltimore County, Villa Julie, Goucher), and financial institutions which provide much quality employment. Like York, there are many historic sites, including Fort McHenry (from the War of 1812) and the Fell's Point neighborhood. The harbor is beautiful as is the Chesapeake Bay to which it leads, and is surrounded by shops and excellent seafood (and other) restaurants. The trendy Canton neighborhood, inhabited mostly by young professionals, is another hotspot for dining. Ethnic neighborhoods, such as Little Italy, provide quality fare as well. You can also tour a lighthouse or old sailing vessel. Outside of the city, there is plenty of shopping (Towson Town Center and White Marsh Mall), and excellent parks, such as Gunpowder Falls and Loch Raven (around one of the city's three reservoirs).
Perhaps in seeing the close proximity to many cities, you're worried that York County might be too developed. This is true of some of the municipalities surrounding York City and of scattered pockets elsewhere, but many rural areas still remain. In my area, the townships of Franklin, Warrington, and Washington would still be considered rural by most standards. I live on several wooded acres along a creek. Safety doesn't seem to be a huge worry in this part of the county, as violent crime is very rare, and petty acts are scarce as well. Plenty of good rural areas remain in southern York County, such as in the Delta, Fawn Grove, Shrewsbury, Stewartstown, New Park, and other areas. True, there are new developments in these areas, but a bit of rural property can still be had. Wherever you are, you will be convenient to grocery stores, shopping malls, and restaurants.
Maybe you like outdoor recreation, and if so there is plenty to do here. York County has at least six county parks, and two beautiful state parks (Gifford Pinchot and Codorus). Both have lakes with good opportunities for fishing and boating (but no gas motors are permitted at Pinchot). All these parks have miles of hiking trails, and the Appalachian Trail also passes through nearby Cumberland County. If you're into hunting, there are several State Game Lands scattered throughout York County. The Chesapeake Bay is close by in Maryland, and makes for excellent fishing and boating with larger crafts. The climate in York County is good, and still consists of four distinct seasons. The average high temperature in July is 88F and January is 39F. Spring and fall are just gorgeous. In the winter it is extremely rare to drop below zero (at least where I live, but other more rural areas do it more frequently).
The housing market is reasonable county-wide, although it has been increasing a bit, especially in the south. Many people from the Baltimore area move into southern York County for lower taxes and home values, while still maintaining their current jobs. Most new homes will run you somewhere between $200 and $400 thousand, although it is not at all impossible to find a nice older home in the $100s. (I know people who have). Taxes are pretty reasonable.
People here may be a bit slower to warm up to newcomers than they are in the South, but once they get to know you they will be kind and willing to help. Overall, I think the people are pretty nice and polite.
Most of York County's public school districts are pretty good. Many people would probably say that the best are Central, York Suburban, and Dallastown, but I have no complaints about Northern, which I attended. Perhaps Northern's state test scores are a little lower than some of the other schools', but this is not due to a lack of effort on the teachers' part. I felt that the teachers were skilled and caring, and that I was well-prepared for college. Plenty of good private schools exist in or near the county as well, including York Catholic, Trinity, Delone Catholic, Christian School of York, and York Country Day School.
In summary, I would say that York County is an excellent place to live. Housing prices are reasonable, the cost of living is roughly state and national average, taxes are bearable, and the location is convenient. I know I have written a lot about recreational opportunities, shopping, and restaurants, but I know they are things that would be important to me if I were moving to a new area. It is definitely possible to have a nice rural life here, while still being close enough to work. I hope that what I have said helps a little, and please don't hesitate to ask any further questions. I wish you the best of luck in your decision.
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