State relocation profile · Federal data
Pennsylvania
Cost of living, fair-market rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare for Pennsylvania from federal sources.
- 97.6
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,225
- 2BR rent / mo
- $70,617
- Median salary
- 47.2
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Pennsylvania ranks #35 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (47.2/100, D), with its strongest marks in safety and wages.
- #35 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 47.2
- Life Score · D
- 97.6
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $70,617
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: schools (28/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), Pennsylvania ranks #35 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 97.6 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,225/mo, median salary $70,617; Life Score 47.2/100 (D), strongest in safety and wages.
Signature: Pennsylvania lists 16 MSAs in this dataset, a dense metro book for state-level averages.
Purchasing power sits mid-band: BEA RPP 97.6 between corpus terciles 93.3 and 100.7. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $1,225/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $70,617.
Composite Life Score 47.2/100 (D) puts Pennsylvania in the bottom third (#35 of 51).
Metro book is dense (16 MSAs); drill a named metro before treating the state average as a destination.
Life Score plate
Sheet PA · Pennsylvania 47.2/100 · D · #35 of 51
LIFE-D · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-PAR · LEAD-SAFETY · BOOK-MOST
- LIFE-D Life Score D
- RANK-LOWER #35/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.3 pts
- RPP-PAR RPP 97.6
- LEAD-SAFETY Lead · safety
- BOOK-MOST 6/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: Alaska (+ 0.3 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around Pennsylvania
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest Pennsylvania on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
Pennsylvania Life Score breakdown
Pennsylvania composites to 47.2/100 (D) across 6 of 7 dimensions (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized); corpus place #35 of 51.
Pennsylvania - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Safety
Safety
60 /100
- Wages
Wages
50 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
46 /100
- Rent
Rent
46 /100
- Environment
Environment
46 /100
- Schools
Schools
28 /100
What this shows Pennsylvania's strongest dimensions are safety and wages; its weakest among scored dims is schools at 28/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 6 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near Pennsylvania on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to Pennsylvania on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in Pennsylvania
Explore detailed relocation data for 16 metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania contains 16 metropolitan statistical areas in our dataset - Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Altoona, Chambersburg and more - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Pennsylvania cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Pennsylvania wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.