Help me move to PA- best place to live???

[SA-1911]

Hi:

I joined the Forum recently and have been lurking for a while.

I'd like to move out of CT and into PA but have no idea where in PA.

I have a friend who lives in Irwin, PA and he suggested State College.

Priorities are a decent job market, safe area, low cost of living, places
for shooting, recreation, etc. I heard stay away from Philly.

So, any recommendations here? Thanks.

[-JD-]

Hi,

I'm a former CT (Brookfield adjacent to Danbury) res myself, 11-18, now 20 yrs or so in PA.

A big help would be letting us know what sort of employment you are seeking. Some areas have concentration in certain business specialties that might be significant. For example, I'm in the middle-ring Philadelphia suburbs. The area is a hub for pharmaceutical and some insurance companies, but is hardly low cost of living.

Also, what types of recreation are you seeking? Hunting, hiking, 4-wheeling, arts and entertainment, ...

Good luck.

[762xIan]

Post what you need and your job skills...folks will chime in.

I escaped NJ almost 10 years ago now, I made up my mind to move to PA several years before that.....it took a while to find and wait for the right job, the family and I took several vacations here during that time and scoped out the "lay of the land" so to speak.

Good luck, and keep the questions coming....glad to help if I can.

[SA-1911]

Hi:

I currently live near the Berlin Turnpike. Perhaps you know the area.

Jobs:

A management job at a hospital or at a University. A management job
at a major corporation would be fine too (I have a Master's Degree in Business).

RE: cost of living. I think it's a lot more expensive in CT than PA
so I probably shouldn't have even mentioned it. CT is such a huge
financially-draining money pit and it's getting worse and worse.

Recreation-wise, I am into pistol shooting (indoor range) and sportbikes.

Looking to move to a pro-gun area, with good size supermarkets,
big shopping centers, lots of libraries, good size gun shop(s), nice
parks and some nice Asian markets/restaurants nearby. And where
the friendliest people are.

Am I dreaming? LOL. Thanks for the reply.

[pyld]

A management job at a hospital or at a University. A management job
at a major corporation would be fine too (I have a Master's Degree in Business).

Butler County. 30 minutes into Pittsburgh (so that you can work--and there are obviously ample jobs at "meds and eds") and 30 minutes out (so that you can get the hell out of the city when work is over). 20 minutes north and you are into rural country. Low taxes, every store imaginable available to you in Cranberry. It's the best of all worlds.

Little lacking in Asian food without going a bit further south, but it has everything else you want.

The cost of living will blow your mind relative to CT. Even in Cranberry, which is a relatively "expensive" suburb by Pittsburgh standards, you can live comfortably for under 250k. Half a mil buys you a freaking McMansion, or, a bit further out, some land and a custom home (north of zelienople--which puts you 45 minutes from the city, 250-300k gets you some land and a custom home).

"Gun friendly" is a relative thing. To me, that rules out Philly and several of the immediately surrounding areas. It's all relative, I guess (I'd shit myself dealing with the Delaware County sheriff and friends on gun stuffs, but that's just me).

[Bug44]

Elk County... Forest County.... Mckean - Cameron - Clearfield Countys

[PGHxdguy]

For med and ed in pa, you can't really go wrong with the Pittsburgh area. Even for corporate stuff there are a lot of oppurtunities.

As far where to live? I will have to say the "extreme" suburbs. To go north head to Cranberry. West, look at Robinson. East, Murraysville. South, South Park, or even better Finnlyville.
I live in finleyville, and it has the "small town feel" but its 30min from downtown pittsburgh, and 5 min from the "T" (light rail into down town). Its kinda rural, or typical neighborhood. Old homes or new development, one gas station, and a Giant Eagle suprrmarket that is the same size as any other giant eagle in the closer suburbs.

Its safe. Low crime. Decent schools. The people look out for each other, and our kids. The cops don't bother you or question your guns. I have waved to the cops with the right hand while walking out of the garage with my AR in the left hand, and I got a "woop woop" from the siren. Didn't stop, just a smile.

Its just 2 miles into Washington county so the taxes are lower, the utilities are lower, but still close enough to go down town for a night on the town, or as I do, work down town. Also just a few miles from RT. 43 Turnpike, and the roads are FAN FRIGGIN TASTIC for a street bike. The roads are in good shape with a great mix of straights, twisties and hills.

In a few min south down rt 88, you are at the Monongaheala river near the city of Monongaheala. Its quiet if you want a relaxing day on the water, or want to carve it up on skis or throw air on the wake board. There are marinas nearby, and its a short boat trip to down town pittsburgh (through 2 locks, but I would be more than happy to guide you).

That's the jist of it, I grew up closer to the city, in the suburbs, and they are getting too busy/city like. Finleyville is the best kept secret of the southern suburbs. In the next 10 yrs, property values are expected to climb as more and more people find it. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions. I gotta go, cause my thumbs hurt... Damn blackberry....lol

[crlovel]

Bucks County, Montgomery, and Berks Counties. Close to Philly, close to the country. Numerous hospitals, decent job market.

[TaePo]

Cranberry Twp, Butler County, just north of Pittsburgh has always been booming. Not sure of housing and tax costs now, but I grew up there when it was all forrests and farms.

It is at the junction of I-79 (North/South highway) and I-76 (East/West Turnpike. Still many rural areas nearby.

I currently live near Franklin, Pa; Venango County and commute to Cranberry for about 70 miles. So I enjoy both worlds (good job market/salary and low cost housing/property). All highway miles, if you don't mind a little commute time.

Central Pa from Harrisburg to Gettysburg (I love studying the Civil War) always looked great, but I never discussed with anyone what it's like living there.

[Keystone.45]

The Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Bethlehem, and surrounding areas) is a nice balance between the big cities like Philly and Pittsburgh and the more rural areas towards the middle of the state. You shouldn't have any trouble finding work here as both hospitals and colleges are well represented.

If you come out this way to scout things out, trailer you bike with you. I can show you some very nice twisty roads up through the coal regions; absolutely perfect for some spirited sportbike riding. But do it quick, with this damn cold coming on there won't be much riding left in the year.