Pennsylvania
R+2 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 97
3.07%
Income Tax
305
Violent Crime / 100K
77.1
Life Expectancy
$270K
Median Home
$1,350
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Taxes
▾
Income Tax
Property Tax
~$3,861/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Retirement income broadly exempt including IRA distributions
Estate Tax
Inheritance tax: 4.5% to children, 12% to siblings, 15% to others
Inheritance Tax
⚠ Your heirs pay this tax on what you leave them — even if you have no estate tax. PA charges 4.5% to children from dollar one.
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Below national avg (~2,100)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Top-25 US airport by passengers
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Mix of urban and rural
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
2.9/100K residents — Solid scene
Craft Distilleries
Strong spirits scene
Live Music
Philadelphia (Live Nation hub, Made in America); Pittsburgh strong venues; Deer Creek; Troegs nationally known
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
Legal to 24 weeks; ongoing political battles
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Second largest commercial casino market after NV. Online casino gambling legal since 2019. 16 commercial casinos.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
White Thorn Lodge · Sunny Rest Resort (Poconos) · Penn Sylvan Health Society
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+0.9% job growth · 3.7% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Top healthcare job market
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
High corporate rate — plan entity structure carefully
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Bottom-10 nationally
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Near avg (+0.00 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks legal since 2017; 18+ only
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 35°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
7.5% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax exemption
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Pennsylvania counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Pennsylvania
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
Compare Similar States
PA vs TX
Pennsylvania vs Texas
COL 97 vs 97 · 3.07% vs No income tax
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PA vs ID
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COL 97 vs 96 · 3.07% vs 5.8% income tax
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PA vs ND
Pennsylvania vs North Dakota
COL 97 vs 98 · 3.07% vs 2.5% income tax
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PA vs SD
Pennsylvania vs South Dakota
COL 97 vs 95 · 3.07% vs No income tax
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Trending in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania budget late again; skill games regulation still unresolved - CDC Gaming
CDC Gaming · Jul 6
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PA Department of Community & Economic Development (.gov) · Jul 1
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PA Senate Leaders Issue Statement on the 2026-27 State Budget - Pennsylvania Senate Republicans
Pennsylvania Senate Republicans · Jun 30
What Residents Say
Relocating from NYC to PA... Is the lower cost of living ...
Relocating from NYC to PA... Is the lower cost of living worth the lower salary?...
reddit.com ↗
Pros and cons of moving to Pennsylvania
In terms of taxes, PA has a flat state tax (3.07%) which is great ... Plenty of parks, Lehigh River & fairly low cost of living. Living ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving from California to Pennsylvania, wondering about ...
PA is an across the board tax. And even with the 1% employment tax, county tax, and school tax. Still less taxes than California. California ......
reddit.com ↗
Average cost of living in Mississippi
I currently live in Pennsylvania and me and my boyfriend are looking into moving to Mississippi, what's the average cost of living for you guys?...
reddit.com ↗
Moving to PA: Taxes. How do they work and what can I ...
Hi everyone. My husband and I are debating the move from Florida to PA. So far we’ve settled on the west side of PA but no definitive location ......
reddit.com ↗
It's 110k enough to live comfortably in Pennsylvania?
Don't let anyone feed you BS about state income tax. It's not that bad. Sales taxes are lower in PA. No sales tax on clothing. Registration fees ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving to PA from Virginia with in a year or so by next ...
Income tax is a flat 3.07 percent. There is no personal property tax. PA has some really pretty areas, and has many parks to enjoy. So you'll ......
reddit.com ↗
Is yearly $22k gross enough to live in Pennsylvania? ...
Doubtful. Half your money will go to rent unless you get roomates. 22k isnt a livable wage in PA(or any parts of the US)....
reddit.com ↗
Looking to move to WA from PA : r/PacificNorthwest
Cost of living calculators show that Tacoma is about 12% more expensive with Seattle at 31% more and Bellevue at about 21% more....
reddit.com ↗
Thinking to move from FL to PA : r/relocating
Taxes suck of course but the cost of living is better than FL. The city is blue and the suburbs are a mix. For instance most in the north ......
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when Pennsylvania tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Pennsylvania Guides
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.