Can anyone tell me about Pennsylvania?

I'm gathering some info on different places to live and i'm looking for some general infomation on the state. What are some good places to live, hows the weather, is it diverse, is there lots of stuff to do for a young person, does it snow, and anything else you can think of. I live in California and i'm looking for a nice cool place to live, both in weather and environment.

Live in Pennsylvania


With its low unemployment and crime, excellent schools, top-notch health care and affordable cost of living, it鈥檚 no wonder Pennsylvania is such a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Whether you prefer bustling cities, vibrant small towns, or quiet, out-of-the-way communities, you鈥檒l feel right at home in the commonwealth.

Pennsylvania government works hard to ensure that its citizens are able to lead healthy, happy and prosperous lives. From paving roads to helping hard working families make ends meet, the commonwealth provides a wide range of services that have a direct impact on the day-to-day lives of its citizens.

Pennsylvania is a stable, prosperous market that has the wherewithal to support new development and innovative business ideas. The Commonwealth is split between male and female residents, and nearly 10% of households routinely speak a language other than English. Pennsylvania is almost a microcosm of the national economy.

More than 12 million people call the Keystone State home.
The median household income is more than $40,000 a year.
71% own their own homes
632,469 people own their own businesses in Pennsylvania.
226,814 (26.4%) are women-owned businesses.
The largest ethnic groups are: White (85%), African American (10%), Hispanic (3%) and Asian (2%).
25% of the Commonwealth鈥檚 population is of German ancestry; 16% is Irish, and 11% is Italian.

Pennsylvania is the keystone state of the nation, and families are the keystone of the commonwealth. But there are times when even the strongest of families can鈥檛 do it all on their own. That鈥檚 why Pennsylvania provides a network of programs, services and information to help families work through financial, medical and personal difficulties and be healthy, productive and self-sufficient.

Ensuring the good health and happiness of children is of the utmost importance. One way Pennsylvania does this by making health insurance, prenatal care and other vital services available to families who may not be able to afford them otherwise.

Pennsylvania鈥檚 commitment to its citizens doesn鈥檛 end with youth. Senior citizens can rely on the commonwealth for assistance with low-cost prescription medication, access to quality home, community-based and nursing home care, plus other resources to enhance the quality of life.

www.darintravel.com

DON'T MOVE TO PENNSYLVANIA! I think you will be really disappointed. My husband and I have been living in the Philadelphia suburbs for the past 9 months. He just got a transfer to North Carolina and we cannot wait!!!

The most racially diverse area is Philadelphia. Pittsburgh is not quite as diverse.... but if you live in any other part of the state it is not at all diverse. This winter has been pretty mild. We have had just a few snowfalls, nothing serious. Tonight we had some sleet. There is more snow in the Northern part of the state. Alsom if you are a dog owner, as I am, the state is HORRIBLE for ticks and Lyme disease. Pennsylvania can be fun to visit. There is a bunch of arts/culture and historical stuff in Philadelphia, but once you've seen it you are just stuck in a nasty crime-ridden dump. My husband commutes to Center City ("downtown") for work and it is so old and shabby and run-down. He sees drug deals going on right outside city hall. Violent crime is REALLY bad. Outside of Philly there is Amish country which is nice to visit, but you can't do that all the time.

We are moving to Charlotte, NC. We lived there before and we are excited to go back. It is a bit conservative because of the 2 big banks based there (Bank of America and Wachovia). You might want to look into Raleigh, NC or Asheville, NC. They are geared a bit more to young people and have a little more arts and culture scene. Raleigh is frequently named in magazines and various polls as one of the best places in the country to live. There are 3 major universities (Duke, UNC and NC State) which I think adds to diversity, and it is a growing area. It is also closer to the beaches than Charlotte. Asheville is in the mountains in the western part of the state by Tennessee. It gets snow in the winter and I think there are some ski slopes. It has a big arts scene. Not sure about Asheville's diversity.

If you are looking for colder weather and more snow... Ann Arbor, Michigan is supposed to be nice (University of Michigan is there). Ithaca, NY is nice too. It is in NY "Wine Country" in the Finger Lakes region. There is Cornell Univeristy and Ithaca College and it's a pretty cool little college town.

Good luck!

Diverse state. Philly is part of the northeastern liberal scene. Pittsburgh is more midwestern. Then there is the PA Dutch country in the southeast and NEPA (Northeastern PA) which is a little more like New England. Weather is more mild in the southeast and Philly, and that area is generally where you will see more growth. The rest of the state is stagnant for growth, but generally holds it own.

For a single person, I would recommend the Philly area. The other areas of the state are great if you have a family and want a slower pace in life.

the diversity issue is not an easy one to answer. if you look at philadelphia, i personally do not consider it all that diverse. the city itself is probably 80% black and 18% hispanic. there are virtually no whites or asians in the city, save for some rich areas of center city, some italians in south philly, or the college kids in univ. city. there are some hispanics, especially in north philly, but i really wouldn't call it "diverse" like you would see in LA, NYC, or Chicago since it is very segregated. These people do not live in the same neighborhoods. Also, virtually everyone in the suburbs of philly are white. In Pittsburgh, it's about 65% white and 30% black in the city, with an extremely small amount of hispanics...a fair amount of asians. There is "white" diversity in pittsburgh, as far as many neighborhoods are still very italian, slovak, greek, jewish, czech, etc. It's nice to go to these areas and get some ethnic food. There are a few areas in pittsburgh where the races are mixed, but not many. As far as the suburbs of pittsburgh goes, virtually all white. the rest of PA is extremely white and not very diverse, although these areas still have between 5%-10% of the population being black, and it's not unusual to see a town with 94% white, 5% black, 1% other. However, I don't hear much about racism being a huge issue, no more than any other state. These numbers are similar to what you would find in indiana, colorado, upstate ny, etc. the weather can be very cold and snows a lot, espcially in the middle of the state where a lot of the mountains are. If you live in pittsburgh, you will be bombarded with the steelers and football. The steelers are a major part of every aspect of life. I've lived in pittsburgh and philadelphia and i would choose pittsburgh between the two. less crime there, a smaller town, but with a lot to do. crime is a BIG issue in philadelphia and anyone that says otherwise is lying. just look up the stats for yourself. Housing is also much more affordable in pittsburgh. Check out areas like Monroeville, which is just outside pittsburgh and has a lot of apts, right on the Parkway East going into downtown, and has a mall and tons of shopping. West Mifflin and the Pleasant Hills area have a lot of apts, but they are usually cheaper and that area has been going down for a while. The new hotspot seems to be Robinson Twp., close to the airport. VERY decent area. Most people in pittsburgh also live in the suburbs, and having a car would be preferable. public transportation is almost entirely by bus and can suck. hope this helps

I live here.....
If you come from Northern California where its warm all year long you might not want to make the move. As the weather here can get very cold and even snow and you might not be used to that weather. A women from LA came to our school and when everyone was wearing sweaters still she was wearing a heavy coat and complaining about the weather. We have very hot humid summers that I don't like. I think it feels gross.
http://countrystudies.us/united-states/w...
http://www.wordtravels.com/Travelguide/P...

I'd say the most diverse city is Philadelphia.

I live in CA, in Pasadena, and I am getting ready to move home to Carlisle, PA after many years in CA. Yes, it snows, and I'm a little worried about the cold. And I'm worried about closed minds and less diversity (and diverse menu!), but life is what you make it. Go and be part of the culture you step into. Help make your new home wonderful.

PA is beautiful, the people are very nice in general, values are more traditional, things are less expensive. But you will find attitudes a little more difficult to break in. SO -- remember that to have a friend you have to be one. Smile, talk to people, follow the Golden Rule. Do your homework and find out the wonderful things about what is around you.

For example, my town of Carlisle has incredible history right there for the learning. It is just 30 miles from historic Gettysburg, the turning point of the Civil War. The architecture is all around you. You can walk and walk the hills. There are farms and woods everywhere. The Amish with their horse and buggy life. Farms right there. Many state parks, lakes, streams, and rivers. Fishing and boating. Winter sports, since you are interested in the cold for a change (you can come shovel my walk).

When I was a kid there, it was hard to find everything there, but now, it's all available, so you can buy anything you need.

And................ LESS TRAFFIC!!!!! YAY!!!!!