10 Best Places To Retire In Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, also known as the Keystone State, is a great place to retire for many reasons. Besides its affordable housing market, which is currently valued at $281,783, this state is one of the few that do not tax retirement income. Plus, it is just naturally beautiful and full of outdoor recreation, alongside historic treasures, as it was one of the original 13 colonies. While the list of places to retire in such a well-endowed state is endless, these towns are the best places to set radar. From Bradford to Wellsboro, these towns are excellent destinations to retire in Pennsylvania, with most boasting reasonable home prices and some of the state’s best attractions. Retirement is a time to enjoy the best life has to offer, and these towns in the Keystone State promise to deliver nothing but a pleasurable experience.
Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe is one of Pennsylvania’s smallest towns, where anyone will be lucky to retire. Not just because of its affordable housing, with homes valued at $276,700 on average, but because of its many attractions, which include Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. This railway offers rides on diesel-powered and sometimes, steam locomotive trains, through the Lehigh Gorge, one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful areas. For adventures, Jim Thorpe is home to Mauch Chunk Lake Park, which features hiking trails, a 345-acre lake ideal for fishing and kayaking, a beach, and a well-equipped campground with over 100 campsites and cozy cottages. Jim Thorpe also has a few historic attractions to offer, including the famous Old Jail Museum. This fortress-looking structure served as a jail between 1871 and 1995, and is notable for being the site where the Molly Maguires, seven condemned coal miners, were imprisoned and eventually hanged in 1877. The jail is said to be haunted as it held the innocent, including one member of the Molly Maguires, who proclaimed his innocence and left a mysterious handprint that won’t go away.
Furthermore, Jim Thorpe is a hot spot for entertainment, with several event venues, including Penn’s Peak, which also presents amazing scenery. This event center, situated atop a hill, overlooks a beautiful valley and hosts a range of events, including live music and performances, as well as weddings and holiday celebrations. It even has an open-air restaurant with more spectacular views, making it a perfect place to relax while awaiting a summer show.
Bradford
This small town near the border with New York is an incredibly affordable place to retire, with an average home value of approximately $108,000, far lower than the state average. The town is also small and laid back, with just 7,800 people, and is a great spot from which to explore the northern part of the Allegheny National Forest, the only national forest in Pennsylvania. From this town, retirees can easily visit the Allegheny Reservoir, which offers a variety of adventures, including boating, fishing, hiking, and camping. Bradford is also approximately 30 minutes from the Kinzua Bridge State Park, a 339-acre area featuring a skywalk that offers spectacular views of the Kinzua Gorge and its surrounding forest-covered landscape.
Back in Bradford, retirees have the Zippo/Case Museum to explore and shop for some of the top products made by two American icons, Zippo and Case. Items on display in the museum include Zippo windproof lighters and Case pocket knives.
Wellsboro
Wellsboro is an amazing place to retire in Pennsylvania, especially for adventure lovers. This town is renowned for being the gateway to the Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. This gorge is 1,450 feet deep, stretches 47 miles through the Appalachian Plateau, and is characterized by lush hillsides. Active seniors will love to explore this gorge from either of the parks on its east and west sides. The Leonard Harrison Park, on the east side, is particularly exciting and features several trails, including the 0.6-mile Overlook Trail, which leads to breathtaking views of the gorge, and the two-mile Turkey Path, which descends to the bottom of the gorge. The Colton Point State Park on the east side is also exciting, with several trails, including the Rim Trail, a 1.1-mile loop leading to beautiful views of the gorge.
In addition to the adventures, Wellsboro has the Arcadia Theatre and Deane Center For The Performing Arts to delight retirees with live performances, plus the former also offers premium movie entertainment. Meanwhile, the Tyoga Golf Club is in town to keep golfers happy with its scenery, well-maintained courses, and restaurant. To crown it all, Wellsboro’s average home value is $247,000, placing it on the list of most affordable places in Pennsylvania.
Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg is a historic town situated on the Susquehanna River, offering a fulfilling retirement experience with its stunning scenery, affordable housing market, and extensive list of attractions. With homes priced at an average of $250,000, it is one of the most affordable places in the state. This is despite its premium facilities and attractions, like the Bloomsburg Theatre Estember, which hosts regular shows, and the Bill's Old Bike Barn & Museum, where nearly 200 vintage bikes and other bike artifacts offer more than a glimpse into motorcycle history.
The Bloomsburg Town Park further adds to its appeal as it is a haven for recreation, featuring sports facilities, playgrounds, a disc golf course, walking trails, a skatepark, picnic areas, and impressive river views. Meanwhile, Bloomsburg has a strong community spirit and is the proud home of the annual Bloomsburg Fair, which has been held since 1855. The largest agricultural fair in Pennsylvania, this event runs for nine days between late September and early October, and features music, comedy, rides, food, and more.
York
York, one of Pennsylvania’s largest towns and the county seat of York County, is an exciting place to retire. For those on a budget, particularly, this town offers affordability, with homes currently selling for $268,900 on average. On top of that, it is loaded with attractions and facilities that promise to make retirement exciting and comfortable, including multiple event centers like the Appell Center for the Performing Arts, which is one of the best places to catch live shows in Pennsylvania. The WellSpan Park is another great indoor facility in town where retirees can relax and enjoy baseball games, music concerts, and other events. And when it comes to the outdoors, York has a couple of parks to offer, including the Rocky Ridge Park, a 750-acre area featuring observation decks with impressive views of the Susquehanna Valley, picnic facilities, and multi-use trails winding through a mature oak forest.
Besides the recreation, York hosts the top-notch shopping centers, particularly the historic Central Market York, which was built in 1888 and features a wide variety of products, including crafts, cooked, baked, and fresh food, alongside live music.
Johnstown
Johnstown checks all the necessary boxes that define an excellent retirement destination, but its housing market stands out. With hoem values at approximately $107,000, on average, this town is one of the most affordable in the country. Johnstown also has a considerable number of attractions to keep retirees entertained, starting from the Heritage Discovery Center. This center offers an immersion into the town’s history, with entire sections dedicated to its steel industry, immigration, and the 1889 Johnstown Flood, which wreaked havoc on the area and led to the deaths of over 2,000 people.
The Johnstown Inclined Plane is another cool attraction here, where retirees will be delighted with rides on one of the world’s steepest vehicular inclined railways, featuring breathtaking views of the valley. Perhaps even more exciting, Johnstown is home to the 1st Summer Arena at Cambria County War Memorial, a 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena which hosts a variety of events year-round, from sports like hockey, basketball, and wrestling, to political rallies, concerts, and shows. Retirees in Johnstown also have Stackhouse Park for some quality time outdoors. The park has over eight miles of hiking and biking trails winding through woodlands, alongside picnic facilities, and birdwatching opportunities.
Bethel Park
Bethel Park is one of the charming communities to retire around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s second most populous city. Here, retirees will be around 30 minutes from some of the state’s attractions, like the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, which has thousands of animals representing over 470 species. Despite such appeal, Bethel Park is surprisingly affordable, with average home value currently at approximately $295,200, just slightly above the state average of $281,783, and far below the national average of $363,900. Bethel Park also has a long list of attractions and facilities, including the South Hills Village, which has more than 130 specialty stores, and the Bethel Park Community Center, where sports and fitness activities meet great food and relaxation. Notably, the community center has a splash park, playground, a walking track, and a dance studio. For winter sports lovers, Bethel Park is home to the South Park Ice Rink, where one can skate under the sky all winter.
Franklin
With a housing market currently priced at $133,997, Franklin graciously answers the question of affordability, but the town even has more appealing features that make it retirement-worthy. The town is less crowded, with around 6,000 people, plus it has a low crime rate compared to the national average, and has a considerable number of attractions. Two Mile Run County Park, one of the town’s top natural draws, will particularly delight retirees as it has a 144-acre lake for fishing and kayaking, alongside over 30 miles of trails, and campsites. Notably, this town is the start of the Allegheny River Trail, which stretches for approximately 30 miles through scenic woodlands and along the Allegheny River to the town of Emlenton.
Franklin also has the Barrow-Civic Theatre, where one can catch live performances and community events year-round. Music enthusiasts will enjoy spending time at the DeBence Antique Music World, which displays over 200 antique mechanical musical instruments dating from the mid-1800s to the 1950s. On top of that, Franklin has several highly-rated food establishments that pass for cozy gathering spots, including the Trails to Alex Brewery, which serves craft beer, wood-fired pizza, and other comfort food.
Warren
Warren’s average home price, which currently stands at around $143,000, is a strong reason it is worth retiring to. But that’s not all. This town is naturally appealing and sits on the Allegheny River, where it serves as a gateway to the Allegheny National Forest. So retiring to Warren means easy access to some of the forest’s over 200 miles of trails, including the 1.1-mile Rimrock Trail, which leads to an overlook with spectacular views of Kinzua Bay and the surrounding lush hillsides. The forest also has developed campgrounds, wildlife, and waterbodies open for boating, kayaking, and swimming, meaning more adventures for retirees in Warren. Meanwhile, the 36-mile Longhouse National Scenic Byway that meanders through the forest will be a favorite for seniors as it is incredibly gorgeous year-round and leads to more interesting attractions.
Besides the outdoors, retirees in Warren can catch shows and movies at the historic Struthers Library Theater, which was built in 1883, plus the Jackson Valley Golf Course has impressive views, an 18-hole challenge, and delicious food to delight golfers.
In These Pennsylvania Towns, the Retirement Appeal Goes Beyond Affordability
Pennsylvania is more than a hot spot for recreation, even with its numerous amusement parks, golf courses, historic sites, and natural attractions. This state is also an excellent place to live and retire, and these towns are the best places to consider. In these towns, the retirement appeal goes beyond affordability, but includes the laid-back atmospheres they offer. In a state that’s the fifth most populous in the country and ranked among the 10 most densely populated, these towns are delightfully peaceful, even while hosting some of the state’s top facilities and attractions.
