Is PA a good place to retire?
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Anonymous
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I moved from the DC area to the Brandywine Valley area of southeast PA. This might be what you want. It’s more expensive than central PA, but it’s wonderful here. I would look at West Chester (has a university), Kennett Square, Glen Mills and the surrounding small towns. Being POC in Lancaster won’t be great, I think, but being a POC in these areas is totally fine.
Maybe Bucks Countu, too? I haven’t spent that much time there. Certain areas in and around the Poconos have POC communities, like Stroudsburg. It’s a lot of upwardly mobile ex New Yorkers who want greenery and more space. Harrisburg/Hershey has state capital and Hershey activity to improve it. I am a total PA booster - love my new state. |
Anonymous
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It's a popular place to retire because of the lack of taxes on pensions.
A friend of mine moved her parents to a 55 plus community that is right over the Maryland border. Her parents are retired feds and their community is FULL of other people from the DC area because of its location. Lots of the other residents and/or their families drive back and forth to the DC area on weekends. |
Anonymous
I'm confused then. Technically MI and PA are blue states with a lot of university towns. So why are they out? |
Anonymous
Sounds good. You won't be missed. |
Anonymous
The specific towns mentioned in PA are very very red. PA is fine, but one would likely need to be in philly or pitt as a PoC to be in a comfortable community. Lancaster/York/Gettysburg you are swimming upstream and will be surrounded by a lot of Trump signs. |
Anonymous
No idea what'd be good for you. DH and I plan to retire in a major city, like NYC, Boston or SF. |
Anonymous
Smaller cities and towns of any states (even blue states like MD) can be very red. Think about smaller towns in eastern shore or up north towards Hagerstown, they are certainly not blue. |
Anonymous
Does NH count as purple-ish? Hanover is adorable, no state income tax, and Dartmouth-Hitchcock is a great medical facility. You are only 2 hours to Boston if you need advanced medical care or need to catch a flight. I’ve also read that Medicare premiums are less expensive than say, FL, due to having a smaller 65+ population. |
Anonymous
| lol lol NO stick to AZ or FL OP. |
Anonymous
| Spouse is from PA and he doesn't want to ever go back! I suggest you spend a few months living in PA before deciding to retire there OP. |
Anonymous
Yes, I'm aware. I grew up in the Midwest. I was just pointing out the inconsistency that they were writing off blue states, then backtracking to university towns in purplish states when Ann Arbor is blue blue blue in a blue state but the PP will go there for no more than a three-day weekend. And if I were to move back to my home state, it would only be to blue towns/cities with a local government promoting DEI, an active Jewish community, etc. |
Anonymous
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OP here. Appreciate the additional responses. I was hoping for inexpensive housing but it sounds like if I want to keep Pennsylvania on my list, that Philly and environs would be a better fit.
These responses are also making me wonder if I should get DC to reconsider their college list as there are some PA schools they’re considering (yes, we started late). |
Anonymous
| The Harrisburg suburbs have become more diverse and bluer in recent years. I grew up there and the difference between the 80s/90s and now is striking. There is a very well-established Jewish community in Harrisburg too, if that's important to you. |
Anonymous
This is 100 percent accurate. In the greater HBG/Lancaster/York metro now and suburbs, beautiful countryside has become much more diverse and purple. Lots of different cultures represented and lower cost of living is appealing. |
Anonymous
have them look at niche and similar websites before your DC knocks them off the list. Also told DH that I want to spend last years in a politically palatable place, even if that means we need to sacrifice certain amenities to do so. |