I grew up in Carlisle, family still lives there.

It is a FANTASTIC small town. There are a number of breweries, hard cideries, and lots of small businesses. If you go to the the local hang outs enough and you talk with folks you will find folks who like to have fun. If you are one for books, be sure to check out Whistlestop Bookshop. Be sure to check out the farmers market and if you like ice cream there are several nearby creameries.

There are a number of museums not too far away (check out the Army Heritage and Education Center). Try to pay attention to local events. Ask coworkers who live in the area if anything is happening locally.

Also, you can easily get to a number of other small towns and small cities. Having grown up in Carlisle, I thought nearby towns and cities were a long way away.... They're not. Now that I live in the central mountains, I very viscerally know that they are super close to each other. Since you grew up in North Dakota, you will probably think distances Carlislians think are "too far" are nothing for you.

The rental market in the Harrisburg-Carlisle Metro area is, in a word, hot. Sticking with the corporate housing probably will mean fewer headaches for you.