Retiring in Pennsylvania, Part 1: The Upsides

Pennsylvania has numerous aspects that appeal to retirees.Image by Harli Martin at Unsplash.

Over two million retirees call Pennsylvania their home in their golden years. Retirepedia tallied 10 factors that contributed to why they chose to spend their retiring years here.

Cost of Living/Housing

Overall, the cost of living in Pennsylvania is eight percent less than the national average, driven mostly by the fact cost of housing is 25 percent below the national average.

Tax Breaks

Pennsylvanian retirees are afforded tax-free status on retirement income and partial rebates on their property taxes. 

Decent Healthcare

Overall, Pennsylvania is ranked No. 12 in the nation for best healthcare and No. 9 in the nation for hospital safety.

Low Crime Rates in the Suburbs

Pennsylvania has nearly 300 cities with near-zero violent and property crime each year.

Access to the Great Outdoors

Pennsylvania has nearly 17 million acres of forested land, 85,000 miles of rivers, and thousands of lakes. Opportunities for camping, hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking are abundant.

Sports

Pennsylvanians take their sports — as in viewing, not necessarily playing — very seriously.

The Keystone state has teams in every major professional sports league: baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer.

At the collegiate level, it has 14 universities fielding teams in the NCAA Division I across all major team sports.

Food and Drink

From locally crafted ice cream to beer to pretzels to cheesesteaks, the Commonwealth is a culinary treasure.

Top-Rated Town: Chesterbrook

National rankings have long sung the praises of Chesterbrook:

• #1 Best Places to Live
• #1 Best Places to Raise a Family
• #1 Best Suburbs to Live
• #1 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family
• Top 15 percent Best Places to Retire

Winter Sports

Pennsylvania is home to 22 ski resorts, and when snow covers local hiking trails, residents bring out snowmobiles, cross-country skis, and even dog sleds.

The lakes that offer excellent summertime fishing continue to produce a variety of species under the ice.

History

Pennsylvania is home to 19 national parks, many of which are centered on the state’s rich history, including Valley Forge National Historical Park.

More about the benefits of retiring in Pennsylvania is at Retirepedia.