Family of five want to move to the state, residents please help (Pittsburgh: transplants)

[snell.jc2011]

Hello, my name is Jess. My fiance' and I are thinking about moving to the state from Baltimore, MD. We are a family of five, so we definitely would like to hear from current residents who live and breathe it everyday. We're just trying to get as much information as possible to narrow down counties in which to do some research, for this will be our last move and we want it to be a perfect fit for us as we are raising our children. I thank everyone who is willing to help us.

Here are a few things we're looking for in our search:

*Great schools that cater to special needs students
*Information on the cost of living
*Low and affordable housing for we will be first-time home buyers
*Since we are stuck in city life, we want the complete opposite, a more "country-esque" feel
*We would like the major city to be a little bit of a distance but close enough to shop for necessities
*Last but not least, a friendly, small town environment

Again thank you to all who respond!
Jess

[PAhippo]

//www.city-data.com/forum/penns...residents.html



That's a place to start.

[Davros]

Tyrone.
Hollidaysburg.

[SteelCityRising]

Pennsylvania is a MUCH larger state than Maryland in terms of both sheer physical size and population.

Do you have family/friends you'll be leaving behind in Baltimore that you'd still want to be somewhat close to?

What do you both do for a living?

Define "cheap" housing, please. "Cheap" to someone from Maryland, the state with the nation's highest median household income, may be different than "cheap" to someone from Pennsylvania, a state that usually ranks exactly in the middle of the pack on every sort of demographic, cost-of-living, and quality-of-life ranking.



Off the top of my head you could consider:

Clarks Summit: This is an affluent small town of about 5,000 about 10-15 minutes northwest of Scranton. There are a lot of newer homes on acreage in the surrounding countryside. All of the big-box stores and restaurants you could want are nearby in Dickson City. The town proper of Clarks Summit itself is quite quaint and upscale. The Abington Heights School District is routinely ranked among the best public school districts in the state. You'd be about 3.5 hours from Baltimore.

Honesdale: I know nothing about the Wayne Highlands School District, but the town of Honesdale truly is "Mayberry" with its historic brick buildings, sidewalk cafes, art galleries, historic homes, etc. Real estate in the surrounding countryside is relatively cheap, too, compared to other parts of the Pocono Mountain area. You'd be a half-hour north/northeast of Scranton/Dickson City for your "city fix". You'd be about 4.0 hours from Baltimore.

Indiana: Not to be confused with the state, the CITY of Indiana, in Pennsylvania, is a small college town that is a tad more down-to-earth/working-class than Lewisburg (see below). I know nothing about the local school district. Properties in the surrounding countryside are relatively cheap. You'd be about 75 minutes from Pittsburgh, but the town itself (and nearby Blairsville) house most of your day-to-day needs. You'd be about 4.5 hours from Baltimore.

Lewisburg: A charming college-oriented (Bucknell University) city sited along the Susquehanna River, Lewisburg oozes small town appeal. The school district ranks pretty well from what I understand, and it has a more liberal/crunchy vibe than the surrounding areas due to all of the college students and faculty in and around the town. Just south of Lewisburg is a major shopping area in Hummels Wharf. You'd be about 3.0 hours from Baltimore.

Sewickley: This town is quite expensive by Pennsylvania standards, but it may be realistic depending upon how much you are able to sell your Maryland home for. Sewickley is an idyllic historic town about 20 minutes northwest of Downtown Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River. Nearby Ross Township is home to a shopping/dining mecca that serves the surrounding "North Hills" region. The Quaker Valley School District ranks rather well. Homes in the small surrounding towns in the hillsides will offer some land and privacy. You'd be roughly 4.5 hours from Baltimore.


Most Baltimore transplants into PA end up along the border in York, Adams, or Lancaster Counties, which are an hour (little more here and there) from Baltimore. These are all also great options, but the growth here makes them not much cheaper than Maryland, and there's a lot of cookie-cutter housing in these areas vs. the "quaint small town life" you're looking for (Gettysburg, Lititz, and Millersville being a few notable exceptions).

Have you considered rural Western Maryland? Boonsboro is a great small town near Frederick, and I fell in love with Burkittsville when I used to live nearby in Northern Virginia. What about Cumberland? Being between Pittsburgh (booming); DC (booming); and Baltimore (relatively booming) means it should also be poised for rebirth.