Moving to Pennsylvania from Utah

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Utah to Pennsylvania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Utah to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 12.2% more expensive than Utah. A $75,000 salary in Utah would need to be roughly $79,124 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Utah to Pennsylvania.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $79,124

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.3% more

Groceries

pay 20.0% more

Transportation

pay 0.2% more

Housing

pay 1.0% more

Childcare

pay 58.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.7% more

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Utah to Pennsylvania.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

UT
224
PA
264
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

UT
1576
PA
1567

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

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

UT
8.1%
PA
5.5%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

UT
32.3%
PA
34.4%

Utah generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

UT
$455,000
PA
$240,500
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

UT
$1,405
PA
$1,162

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

UT
92.9%
PA
88.8%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

UT
22 min
PA
27 min

Utah performs better than Pennsylvania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

UT
3.5%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

UT
$66,207
PA
$61,506

Utah performs better than Pennsylvania across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

UT
78.6 yrs
PA
76.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

UT
21%
PA
24%

Utah generally does better on family life, though Pennsylvania leads in bachelor's degree or higher.

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.

Salt Lake CityRain: 16.1 in/yr (409 mm)
64°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsSalt Lake CityHarrisburg
Jan–Mar45°/27°F (7°/-3°C)42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun72°/48°F (22°/9°C)71°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep87°/60°F (31°/16°C)81°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec51°/32°F (10°/0°C)52°/34°F (11°/1°C)
View all months
MonthSalt Lake CityHarrisburg
Jan37°/22°F (3.0°/-5.8°C)36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C)
Feb43°/25°F (6.2°/-3.8°C)40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C)
Mar54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C)
Apr62°/40°F (16.4°/4.2°C)61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)
May72°/48°F (22.2°/8.8°C)72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C)
Jun83°/56°F (28.3°/13.6°C)81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C)
Jul93°/65°F (33.7°/18.2°C)85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C)
Aug90°/63°F (32.5°/17.4°C)83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C)
Sep79°/53°F (26.2°/11.7°C)75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C)
Oct65°/41°F (18.2°/5.2°C)63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C)
Nov49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.8°C)52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C)
Dec38°/23°F (3.3°/-5.2°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 Utah?

No — Pennsylvania is on average about 5% more expensive than Utah. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,781 in Pennsylvania on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Pennsylvania safe?

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

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Utah?

Utah generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.

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

The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 64°F in Salt Lake City. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Salt Lake City gets 16.1 in.

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