Moving to Pennsylvania from Minnesota

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Minnesota to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Minnesota to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 3.5% more expensive than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly $78,033 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $78,033

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.4% less

Groceries

pay 6.5% more

Transportation

pay 2.5% more

Housing

pay 7.8% more

Childcare

pay 16.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Pennsylvania compared to Minnesota.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MN
257
PA
264
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MN
1675
PA
1567

Minnesota generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MN
4.5%
PA
5.5%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MN
33.9%
PA
34.4%

Minnesota performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MN
$305,500
PA
$240,500
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MN
$1,235
PA
$1,162

Pennsylvania generally does better on what about housing?, though Minnesota leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MN
91.0%
PA
88.8%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MN
23 min
PA
27 min

Minnesota performs better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MN
4.3%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MN
$68,478
PA
$61,506

Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though Pennsylvania leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MN
79.1 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MN
26%
PA
24%

Minnesota performs better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Saint Paul Rain: 28.5 in/yr (724 mm)
56° / 38°F

Avg. annual high / low

Harrisburg Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1108 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Saint Paul Harrisburg
Jan–Mar 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) 71°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 81°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) 52°/34°F (11°/1°C)
View all months
Month Saint Paul Harrisburg
Jan 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C)
Feb 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C)
Mar 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C)
Apr 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)
May 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C)
Jun 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C)
Jul 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C)
Aug 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C)
Sep 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C)
Oct 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C)
Nov 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C)
Dec 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than Minnesota?

On average Pennsylvania is around 4% pricier than Minnesota, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

Budget about $19,508 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Pennsylvania safe?

Minnesota generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Minnesota?

Minnesota performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to Minnesota?

The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in.

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