What is Pennsylvania like?

last year

My husband is from Pennsylvanian but he didn't live there as an adult, he moved to Alaska at 18 years old.
I grew up in Alaska.
He is very sentimental of Pennsylvania, we visited in the summer recently and we loved it. However I don't know what it's like living there or the pros and cons. He was looking at land in PA but then learned about the property taxes and deflated. So I think there are some things we may idealized about PA, but actually living there may be different.
Pros of AK: Tax free rural land.
You have total freedom on your land and can build your own home as cheaply as you want. You can homestead, get resources from the land. No HOAs. Jobs are ok I guess. We can usually find a job and make an income, even if it's not a lot. Few regulations. Casual culture so not so much pressure to keep up with the joneses.
Cons: mosquitoes are horrible! It makes it difficult to spend time outside.
Winter lasts forever and very little daylight. If you work a 9-5 you don't get to see sunlight all winter. There are alot of things we cant do simply because of the climate and ground, like building, having good plumbing, growing food, trees, flowers etc. It's hard to sleep in summers because of constant daylight.
Very few things to do and cities are far apart. No ticks or deadly snakes or spiders but bears, moose, wolves and wolverines that can kill you.
Food is pricey. We cook from scratch whole foods and buy bulk often but still pay 800 a month to feed the 6 of us. That is on the tightest Food budget with no luxuries. Having to commute a minimum of one hour one way to work every day.
What is it like to work and live in PA? What is the minimum amount of money we could make to live comfortably? Is it easy to get a job? Is it difficult to live rural? What are the pros and cons of living there? Is property tax crippling?

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Comments (2)

41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
last year
last modified: last year
Pa. is the Alabama of the North, sorry, not a fan. Biased, my mother's side of the family from there, and they all f'n NUTS!. She escaped, first to Alaska, then the big bad city..., NYC. P.S., I do like/love parts of Bucks County in the far eastern part of the state though.
Jennifer Hogan
last year
I love Pennsylvania. Born here, moved to San Diego, lived there for 30 years, came back home where I belong. Many people are surprised that I prefer PA to Southern California. I like the lower cost of living, the 4 seasons, the beauty and the people. I don't miss the 4 seasons a day (Unless you live right by the water San Diego has the typical desert climate - gets hot during the day and cold when the sun goes down - no humidity, so nothing keeping things warm.) I don't miss the brown tones everywhere (without rain you don't have green). I am not a big city person. I love that when I go somewhere in my small town I almost always find that someone knows someone I know. In California I found many who had no interest in even getting to know their neighbors.

PA offers a variety of unique regions, each quite different than the next. This website shows the 11 regions of Pennsylvania. I live in the Pennsylvania Dutch Region and love this area. I also lived in Indiana PA and loved it there. Many people I know, relatives, friends, people I grew up with moved closer to Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.

I have never lived in Alaska, but I do know people who lived there. From what I understand the cost of living is quite high. Tax Free land helps compensate for the high cost of food, clothing and heat. Look up a cost of living comparison for where you live and where you would like to move to get the best idea of how costs vary from place to place.

As for work, that depends on what type of work you are looking for. Each area has different types of work available, some are limited, others are hungry for someone willing to work. I kept my same job when I moved. I have telecommuted for 20 years and just need internet available in order to do my job. I don't know anyone here who is unable to find a job, but in San Diego it seemed more difficult and I knew people who had to look for several months to land something.

Farmettes in this area are more expensive than many other areas of the country. We are in the middle of farm country and many people make a living off the land.

I think the only way to know what is right for you is to solidly research your options.
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