Pennsylvania
Among the top 22% of US states for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 45% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 63% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 78% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 45% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US states
- top 4% for violent crime
- top 16% for school quality
Pennsylvania is a U.S. state with about 12,989,000 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and C for getting around. Standout strengths include violent crime, school quality, and property crime. It rates lower on commute time and property tax rate.
Official websitepa.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$76k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 62% of US states
Home Value$236k39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 49% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 45% of US states
Property Tax Rate1.44%better than 22% of US states
Income Tax4.08%better than 78% of US states
Sales Tax6.34%better than 66% of US states
Estimated total tax burden10.56%better than 48% of US states
Unemployment5.4%better than 35% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)30°F45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.1 in59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall31.1 inbetter than 39% of US states
Sunny Days214 daysbetter than 45% of US states
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 57% of US states
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 60% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk87.4better than 29% of US states
Air Quality48 AQIbetter than 36% of US states
School Quality88.4better than 84% of US states
Violent Crime759/100kbetter than 96% of US states
Property Crime1201/100kbetter than 82% of US states
Community
Population12,989,20892nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.086th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3437th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9835th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven45th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)74.5%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)10.4%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.1%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.6%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.4%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 25% of US states
Walkability9.8/20better than 67% of US states
Airport Distance48 mibetter than 65% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.2%better than 37% of US states
Amenities Nearby5.01better than 67% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 73% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pennsylvania an affordable place to live?
- Pennsylvania is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 62% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Pennsylvania?
- The median home value in Pennsylvania is $236k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Pennsylvania?
- Median household income in Pennsylvania is $76k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Pennsylvania?
- Median gross rent in Pennsylvania is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Pennsylvania safe?
- Pennsylvania is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 759/100k (better than 96%). Property crime is 1201/100k.
- What is the weather like in Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania averages 75°F in July and 30°F in January, with 46.1 in of annual precipitation and about 214 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Pennsylvania?
- Public-school quality in Pennsylvania is above average, scoring better than 84% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Pennsylvania?
- The average one-way commute in Pennsylvania is 27 min.
Best places to live in Pennsylvania
Top cities in Pennsylvania
Counties in Pennsylvania
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)