Best place to raise a family in PA, suburban areas

Submitted by confusedthrowawaygoi t3_11egrhp in Pennsylvania

Apologies if this isn't the right sub

I love PA. I was wondering if theres any good suburban areas for families. I live in the city now and miss the safety of the communities and knowing my neighbors but also being 15 minutes from a vast majority of food and shops. I'm asking cause I've only ever visited cities or the deep woods for camping in PA.

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Jiveturkwy158 t1_jae2vt2 wrote

I like Cumberland valley, 81/turnpike to go to major cities, all the benefits of being a Harrisburg/mechanicsburg suburb area, low taxes/good school, small town vibes but nice food/bar scene.

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skrilledcheese t1_jae50ua wrote

If you have the money, State College PA is amazing for families.

Pros: you can get to anywhere in town within 15 minutes, lots of amenities, decent variety of shops, good nature nearby, great schools

Cons: high COL, high property taxes, large student body (Penn State)

Near philly, MontCo and Bucks County are nice. I spent 5 years in Skippack, that was a wonderful area.

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oldschoolskater t1_jadysg3 wrote

Check out Dormont, PA. Best kept secret in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Right on the T just 10 minutes from downtown. Has restaurants, breweries, shopping and a movie theater. Good school district and safe.

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enemy_of_your_enema t1_jaeg2u4 wrote

For what it's worth, I live in the City of Pittsburgh and know my neighbors and am 15 minutes away from a lot of food and shops, with the benefit of not having to rely on my car for every trip. I have two kids. I don't think you need to limit your search to just the burbs.

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gj13us t1_jaf4d7i wrote

Lancaster.

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SuspiciousOnion2137 t1_jaeajuj wrote

There are so many factors to consider. Would you be working fully remote or would you be commuting some or all of the time? If you commute how far would be too far from the office? Where would you be commuting to? Do you want a walkable community or are you OK with driving to most places? Do you plan on sending your children to public school or private school? What do you like doing in your free time? Do you prefer old houses or new construction? How do you feel about living in apartments? Do you want to be able to have a pet above a certain size? What is your budget?

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