Pennsylvania

Where else but in Pennsylvania can you grab a Philly cheese steak, walk the Allegheny Forest, visit the birthplace of the U.S. Marine Corps, ride winding roller coasters and then top it off with a visit to the chocolate factory?

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a Mid-Atlantic state, has so much to offer. Nicknamed both the Quaker State and the Keystone State, Pennsylvania is divided into seven regions including Pittsburgh and its Countryside, the Northeast Pennsylvania Mountains, the Alleghenies and Her Valleys, the Dutch Country Roads, Philadelphia and the Countryside, Pennsylvania Great Lakes, and Pennsylvania Wilds. Regardless of where you reside there are hundreds of things to do in this state located between six states to its north and six states to the south.

Found in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh and its Countryside, a region balanced by the wilderness of the countryside featuring whitewater rafting and hiking and the music from the Pittsburgh Symphony at Heinz Hall.

In the Northeast Pennsylvania Mountains region there are the Pocono Mountains, 22 waterfalls, Boulder Field and a 16-acre national natural landmark.

The Alleghenies region, which has 84 percent forestland, is found in central Pennsylvania and features 21 state parks and an abundant amount of bass and trout.

The Pennsylvania Wilds region is similar in that 80 percent of the 6.5 million acres in the region is forestland. Elk are found roaming in the Wilds' Elk County.

In Pennsylvania Dutch Country things move at a much slower pace. People, specifically the Amish community, go about their day in a slower, more relaxing manner.

Pennsylvania Real Estate and Demographics

In Pennsylvania you may live in a borough or city. A borough can only become a city after it has reached a population of 10,000. Many boroughs, however, do not change their designation to a city because a city requires a more expensive form of government.

So whether you choose to reside in a borough or city the first thing to decide is which of the state's seven regions is a good fit. The Pittsburgh region is considered one of the 50 most affordable housing markets in the nation. In 2005, the region had a median home price of $116,100. In Philly, the houses are more expensive with the average price of a home costing $215,300. Real estate in Philly is expected to stay strong as a recent 35,000 new jobs in the area is expected to keep home prices from falling.

The median household income in Pennsylvania in 2005 was $45,941. Demographically speaking, the estimated population of Pennsylvania is 12,212,930. Eighty-three percent of the population is white. The minority population consists of ten percent blacks, and four percent Hispanic.

Pennsylvania Economy

Steel and iron manufacturing was a large part of Pennsylvania's industry, but by the late 1970s and mid 1980s, recession and foreign competition was responsible for shutting down several steel factories. Nearly 136,000 jobs in the primary metals and machinery industries were lost. Manufacturing of metals, however, has been replaced with manufacturing of silicon wafers for the semiconductor industry and other communication equipment making high tech manufacturing the leading industry in the state. Major companies including Hershey Foods, Sunoco, and H.J. Heinz have its headquarters in Pennsylvania. Agriculture is still part of the backbone of Pennsylvania's economy. With more than 58,000 farms with 8 million acres, Pennsylvania produces large quantities of corn, potatoes, and dairy products. Billions of tourism dollars are also funneled into the state's economy each year.

Pennsylvania Education

Pennsylvania spends more than the national average on education according to 2003 statistics. In 2002-2003 the state spent $10,445 on each student which was higher than $9,299 spent on education nationally. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education gave Pennsylvania top scores on its National Report Card on Higher Education. Pennsylvania schools received an "A" for persistence of students wishing to complete a degree by two and four-year schools. The state received a "B" for participation, which measured the number of Pennsylvanians enrolled in a college or university. Another "B" was earned by the state for the percentage of the population with a college degree and civic participation. All told there are 453 public and private degree-granting colleges and universities in Pennsylvania.