Best places to live in Pennsylvania
CityLedger tracks 11 Pennsylvania metros, led by Lancaster. Cost of living runs from about 91 to 103 against a U.S. average of 100. Every figure below is computed from public U.S. government data and links to a full profile.
CityLedger tracks 11 metros in Pennsylvania, the largest being the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area (around 6,330,422 people). Across the state, median household income runs from $63,322 in Erie to $90,850 in Philadelphia, and typical rent from $888 a month in Erie upward — a reminder that "Pennsylvania" is really several different housing and job markets, not one.
Erie has the lowest overall price level in the state (about 91 versus a U.S. average of 100), but the cheapest metro isn't always where money goes furthest. Adjusting income for local prices, Philadelphia delivers the best real buying power — a cost-adjusted median of about $88,587.
Taxes shift the picture in ways a cost-of-living index alone misses: Pennsylvania levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower here than in no-income-tax states at the same salary, and combined state and local sales tax averages about 6.3% (Tax Foundation). Our salary calculator folds federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state tax into a single take-home figure for any metro here.
Lancaster earns the state's highest CityLedger livability score, 63/100; Harrisburg is the fastest-growing, up 6.5% over the latest population estimate; State College carries the lowest natural-hazard loss rate, about $6 per $10,000 of property (FEMA). Open any metro below for the full, sourced breakdown behind these figures.
| Metro | Livability | Cost of living | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster, PA | 63 | 98 | $85,802 | $1,449/mo |
| Philadelphia, PA | 61 | 103 | $90,850 | $1,567/mo |
| Harrisburg, PA | 60 | 99 | $80,904 | $1,254/mo |
| State College, PA | 58 | 97 | $77,110 | $1,189/mo |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 57 | 95 | $77,214 | $1,083/mo |
| York, PA | 54 | 96 | $81,453 | $1,203/mo |
| Allentown, PA | 49 | 100 | $83,974 | $1,458/mo |
| Chambersburg, PA | 46 | 95 | $74,019 | $1,117/mo |
| Scranton, PA | 41 | 94 | $68,079 | $1,072/mo |
| Erie, PA | 41 | 91 | $63,322 | $888/mo |
| Reading, PA | 38 | 97 | $78,074 | $1,195/mo |
Browse every metro on the cities index or the rankings.
Living in Pennsylvania — frequently asked
- What is the most affordable metro in Pennsylvania?
- By overall price level, Erie is the most affordable metro in Pennsylvania, at about 91 against a U.S. average of 100 (BEA Regional Price Parities). Affordability also depends on local pay — see where a paycheck stretches furthest below.
- Where does a paycheck go furthest in Pennsylvania?
- Philadelphia has the highest cost-adjusted income in Pennsylvania — a median of about $88,587 once local prices are factored in, meaning typical pay buys the most there.
- Does Pennsylvania have a state income tax?
- Yes. Pennsylvania levies a state income tax, which lowers take-home pay relative to no-income-tax states; combined state and local sales tax also averages about 6.3%. Our salary calculator estimates the exact take-home for each metro.
- Which Pennsylvania metro has the highest livability score?
- Lancaster, at 63/100 on CityLedger's livability score — a transparent blend of affordability, jobs, income, education, and commute, all from public data.