Pennsylvania Taxes, Politics & People
A plain-English look at Pennsylvania taxes, civic culture, practical local attitudes, and the Philly-to-Pittsburgh differences newcomers notice fast.
Alyssa, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Alyssa is a PA lifer who has moved so often she's learned to never give away boxes after a move. After 12 moves throughout the state, she's learned that every Pennsylvania town has opinions, mostly about hoagies, traffic, which gas station chain you are loyal to, and how to properly use the second person plural pronoun to address a group of people (hint: it is NOT "you all"). She knows the cultural borders between Philly, Pittsburgh, and the Central T and can pronounce Wilkes-Barre, Schuylkill, and Duquesne without tripping over her tongue. She spends her free time threading yarn, tearing through novels (200/year), and feeding a house full of Star Wars loving kids. At Snappy Scout, Alyssa converts a lifetime of Pennsylvania knowledge into usable PA wisdom... so youse need to listen up!
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
Pennsylvania's Tradeoffs, Decoded
A plain-English look at what you'll pay, who runs things, and who you'll be living alongside.
Taxes
Flat 3.07% statewide, plus local EIT, Philly wage tax notable
High in Philly suburbs (Montco, Bucks), moderate Pittsburgh region, lower rural counties
Politics
Classic swing state: Philly and Pittsburgh blue, central and northern counties red, suburbs purple
People
Gritty, neighborly, sports obsessed, Philly Pittsburgh rivalry, small town polite, big city direct
Mostly Christian, large Catholic share, notable Jewish communities, growing Muslim and Hindu, rising unaffiliated
Ready to See If Pennsylvania Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Pennsylvania guide for the bigger picture.