Pennsylvania's Fun Side Is Seriously Underrated
Think you really know Pennsylvania? It's a state with sandwiches that slap, from Wawa hoagies in the east to Primanti sandwiches in the west, and cheesesteaks and roast pork to dazzle the most discerning palate. Amish buggies clip-clop along side Teslas, and business execs and students rub elbows on the train. Let's run through the facts, stats, and Gritty trivia that showcase what makes Pennsylvania's historic past and modern advantages irresistible.
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
What Makes Pennsylvania Pennsylvania?
The weird, useful, and surprisingly relevant facts that shape everyday life here.
Common nicknames for Pennsylvania
Keystone State, Quaker State, The Commonwealth
Local Reality Check
It's not just Philly and Pittsburgh Check out Amish country, Mount Pocono, waterfront boroughs, or post steel town revivals.
You're most likely moving from
New York, New Jersey, Maryland or D.C. Commuters chasing more space and cheaper homes.
Strangely large concentration of
covered bridges, soft pretzel bakeries, hunters, pierogi festivals, coal mines, historical landmarks.
Music scene
Philly neo-soul, indie rock, and punk, Pittsburgh hip-hop, alt-rock, and country, Scranton jazz and indie, Wilkes-Barre hardcore.
You'll have to see it to believe it
Punxsutawney Phil calling spring on Gobbler's Knob at dawn. The 20-foot tall flaming phoenix at the Firebird Festival.
Unique Geography
Appalachian ridges and valleys, Allegheny Plateau, Delaware and Ohio river basins, Lake Erie shore.
Pennsylvania is home to
Hersheypark, Gettysburg Battlefield, Fallingwater, the Liberty Bell, Valley Forge.
Well known for its
Cheesesteaks, hoagies, scrapple, pierogies, whoopie pies, craft beer, steel roots, museums, historic sites.
Fun history fact
Declaration of Independence signed at Philadelphia's Independence Hall in 1776.
Celebrity sightings
Taylor Swift roots in Wyomissing, Wiz Khalifa around Pittsburgh, Questlove across Philly.
Noteworthy Census stat
12.96 million residents in 2020, 5th most populous.
Most interesting sub-culture within Pennsylvania
The Philly Mummers Brigades parade down Broad Street every New Year's Day in elaborate costumes, sporting millions of sequins, golden slippers, and banjos.
Population
5th by population, 33rd by land size
Pennsylvania is roughly the same geographic size as
Bulgaria
Locals Know Best
There are a lot of nicknames for Pennsylvania, but the locals always refer to it as PA.
— Alyssa Kruse
Pennsylvania Local Expert
Ready to See If Pennsylvania Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Pennsylvania guide for the bigger picture.