Pennsylvania certainly has a wealth of history and culture. Between the Pennsylvania Dutch, the Battle of Gettysburg, Hershey Chocolate, and being one of the first 13 states, there’s so much to explore.
Really, the question isn’t should you come to visit, it’s where should you start?
The
Movoto Real Estate Blog was curious about that question too, especially considering we sell houses in Pennsylvania, and we set out to find the answer. We’ve looked at the
best places in Pennsylvania, but for this we wanted a wider area, so we looked at counties to see which was simply the best.
After analyzing some data and crunching some numbers, we had our answer to that riddle. The top 10 counties are:
1.
Cumberland County
2.
Chester County
3.
Centre County
4.
Montgomery County
5.
Bucks County
6. Montour County
7.
Butler County
8.
Delaware County
9.
Adams County
10.
Lancaster County
You may notice that’s a lot of pretty interesting and different sorts of places. But that’s okay, because a little variety is good. And if you want to see where the top 50 counties ranked, you can check the chart at the bottom of this article.
If you want to explore just how we did all this, you can see just what numbers and methods we used to make this ranking in the next section.
Our Methodology
We created this Big Deal List strictly by the numbers. Which numbers? Well, we turned to the 2010 U.S. Census to collect data about every county in the state, which was a total of 67 counties. The important criteria we analyzed were:
- Unemployment rate (the lower the better)
- Median household income (the higher the better)
- Median rent (the higher the better, to indicate area’s desirability)
- Median home price (the higher the better, to indicate desirability)
- Percent of families below the poverty line (the lower the better)
- High school graduation rate (the higher the better)
- Average Commute Time (the lower the better)
After we got that data, we ranked each county in each category from one to 67, with scores closer to one being better.
Then, we averaged all of each counties scores into one
Big Deal Score. The place that had the lowest number for that score came out on top as our best Pennsylvania County.
To get a better idea of what makes these spots so great, let’s look at each of our top 10 in more depth.
1. Cumberland County
We mentioned history and culture earlier, and this county has it by the ton. Tons of colleges, plenty of historic state landmarks, and so many festivals that there’s at least one per month. Those are only a few reasons this place is great.
Cumberland County had the fourth lowest poverty, the sixth lowest unemployment rate, the fifth highest income, and the 10th highest high school graduation rate.
This county even had the 11th lowest commute time, at only 21 minutes. Still, the median home price here managed to be a very decent $183,500, so the area is desirable, but not impossible to afford.
Nature lovers will also find themselves right at home here, considering this county has both Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Colonel Denning State Park to call its own.
2. Chester County
If you’re looking for affordability, you won’t find it in Chester. Then again, the highest median home price on our list simply denotes a very in-demand area, and for good reason.
This county also had the third lowest poverty ranking, the highest median income, and the fourth highest high school graduation rate.
Admittedly, the commute time was higher here, at 27 minutes, but that’s not too bad when you look at the great schools, lovely scenery, and delectable eateries such as Mr E’s Tavern and Thai Place Restaurant.
If you want more perks than that, of course, you don’t have to look far. There’s the Nottingham Park Serpentine Barrens, the absurdly beautiful Longwood Gardens, and so much more to discover if you just start looking.
3. Centre County
If you want a county that has great numbers all the way across the board, Centre County is pretty fantastic in that regard.
To start, this county had the fourth lowest unemployment rate with only 5.95 percent of the population being jobless. To add to that, only 6.54 percent of families were below the poverty line, so living here means less stress in more ways than one.
The numbers don’t stop there. This county had the second best high school graduation rate, and even the seventh best commute time, at merely 20 minutes on average. So this county is great for students and the working Joe alike.
Of course, there’s more to this county than stats. Home to State College,
Bellefonte, and Ferguson Township, there are many townships and areas to peruse in your roamings.
And in case you’re a foodie on the hunt for good eats, you can easily turn to Faccia Luna Pizzeria, Herwig’s Austrian Bistro, or The Governors’ Pub.
4. Montgomery County
If you’ve ever overlooked Montgomery County, or Montco as it’s sometimes called, as a future home for you and yours, you might want to give it at least a second glance.
As the location of
Cheltenham Township,
Norristown, and part of Valley Forge National Historical Park, this place has diversity, history, and so much more.
Stat-wise, this county looks pretty spectacular as well. Montgomery County had low unemployment, the second highest median household income at $78,984, and a high median home price, indicating that folks are clamoring to live here. Really, once you see the place, you’ll understand why.
The real standout score here was, however, the best high school graduation rate on our entire list. More than 93 percent of student graduate from high school here, which is pretty darn impressive.
Then again, this county is home to at least 15 college campuses, so it might not be so surprising that people are itching to do well in school in these parts.
5. Bucks County
This county may be the location of a few Stephen King stories, but we promise, it’s not super creepy. In fact, it’s actually pretty awe-inspiring.
The third highest income, third highest high school graduation rate, and low unemployment rate are just a few of the ways this county is a cut above.
The biggest perk, however, was the low poverty. Less than 3.8 percent of families here were below the poverty line, which means folks who move here are unlikely to find themselves struggling to get by.
On top of that, there are some non-numerical plusses to calling this place home.
For those in search of culture, they’ll find it at Bucks County Playhouse and the Bristol Riverside Theatre. For those who want a little more energy than the theatre, there’s always plenty of good times to be had at The Borough Pub or Bailey’s Bar & Grille.
6. Montour County
Those of looking for the most bang for their buck have definitely found the right place. Looking at the numbers alone, it’s easy to see why.
The median household income in Montour County was pretty middle of the pack, and the median home price was merely $150,100. Even the median rent here was below $700. But do you get quality of life for that price? You bet.
The employment rate was high here, ranking the eighth best on our list. Probably related to that, the poverty was the fifth lowest as well, with only 5.25 percent of families here being below the poverty line.
Almost 89 percent of students graduate from high school, and as an added perk, the commute times here were the third lowest on our list at an average of 19 minutes.
As far as attractions, there’s a ton of variety here. From good eats at Brews N Bytes or Galera Dos, to more active diversions at Midway Bowling Lanes or Studio B Yoga, there’s something for just about everyone.
7. Butler County
Nature lovers are going to find a place to call home in this county.
There are not one, but two state parks here, and it’s hard to get more fascinating than Moraine State Park’s history and renovation. On top of that, hikers have several trails to choose from in the area, including North Country Trail.
Of course, if you want a more numerical reason why this is a fantastic place to live, look no further than the seventh lowest poverty rank here and the 10th highest income.
On top of that, this county had the sixth highest graduation rate and the 14th highest employment rate. Really, what more do you need?
If you need some excitement, you can always head to the county seat, Butler, to sample some wine at Rustic Acres Winery Inc, or you can go out to the Clearview Mall for a bit of a shopping spree.
8. Delaware County
Often called Delco by locals, this county knows how to treat its locals to the good life.
The homes are expensive, indicating how desirable the area is, and the income was the fourth highest on our list. The poverty was the 16th lowest, and there are so many interesting historic structures to discover here that it’ll take you a long time to visit them all.
One standout score here was the high school graduation rate. A total of 91.5 percent of students graduate here, which was the ninth highest on our list. That means students are even more ready to attend one of the over 10 colleges in this county.
Beyond the great schools and desirable area, there’s just so much to do here. There are numerous county parks for those who like to get out and about, and this place has a ton of sports teams to cheer on, from the Aston Bulls to the Philadelphia Union.
9. Adams County
As far as national history goes, this county has some of the richest, most well known historical landmarks there are.
For starters, Adams County was the site of the Battle of
Gettysburg, one of the most famous events in Civil War history. Because of that, you can visit Gettysburg National Cemetery, Gettysburg National Military Park, and the site of the Gettysburg Address all in a single day.
Beyond these important historical sites, this place has so much going for it. The ninth highest income, sixth lowest poverty, and housing prices that denote desirability are definitely selling points, just to name a few.
Of course, the most important stat here was the lowest unemployment rank on our entire list. At only 5.67 percent, just about everyone in Adams County has a job.
10. Lancaster County
Lancaster County locals certainly have a lot to brag about.
Besides the unique culture surrounding their large Amish community and the fascinating Pennsylvania Dutch dialect still spoken in some places, there are tons of attractions. Plus, the food is to die for here, and you can check out Rice & Noodles or Annie Bailey’s if you don’t believe us.
Just by the numbers, there’s a lot of impressive stuff going on here. This county had the 16th lowest poverty, the 15th lowest unemployment, and the 17th lowest commute time. The income was the 13th highest, at an average of $56,172, and the place was definitely desirable.
Still, if you’re looking for a bit of a value-buy, you could do a lot worse than any of the boroughs or cities, like
Lancaster, here. After all, the median home price was only $189,600.
Bragging Rights For The Key Counties In The Keystone State
From Civil War sites to fantastic restaurants, Pennsylvania has so much to offer locals, especially in these great top 10.
In fact, you might be thinking one of these spots looks particularly good.Lucky for you, we’re in the business of selling houses, and if you click any of the links above you can see some awesome homes that could be yours if you want them.
Already live in one of these counties? Hold your heads high, because you’ve certainly earned the distinction.
