Moving to Pennsylvania from Washington
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Washington to Pennsylvania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Washington to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 6.1% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $68,953 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Washington to Pennsylvania.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $68,953
To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 10.0% less
Groceries
pay 3.7% more
Transportation
pay 7.8% less
Housing
pay 11.4% less
Childcare
pay 3.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.0% less
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 Washington to Pennsylvania.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington generally does better on infrastructure, though Pennsylvania leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Pennsylvania leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Washington 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Olympia | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than Washington?
Yes — Pennsylvania is on average about 8% cheaper than Washington. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,238 in Pennsylvania on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Pennsylvania safe?
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to Washington?
Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pennsylvania leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
