Moving to Pennsylvania from West Virginia
What to Expect
Considering a move from West Virginia to Pennsylvania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from West Virginia to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 29.2% more expensive than West Virginia. A $75,000 salary in West Virginia would need to be roughly $93,552 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harrisburg averages 61°F vs 73°F in Charleston, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $93,552
To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.0% more
Groceries
pay 32.5% more
Transportation
pay 7.4% more
Housing
pay 18.3% more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.6% more
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 West Virginia.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
West Virginia generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in violent crime rate.
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
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
West Virginia performs better than Pennsylvania across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
West Virginia generally does better on infrastructure, though Pennsylvania leads in internet access.
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
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than West Virginia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than West Virginia 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 | Charleston | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Charleston | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) |
| Feb | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) |
| Mar | 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) |
| Jun | 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) |
| Jul | 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) |
| Sep | 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) |
| Oct | 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) |
| Nov | 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) |
| Dec | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C) | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than West Virginia?
On average Pennsylvania is around 25% pricier than West Virginia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?
Budget about $23,388 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?
West Virginia generally does better on safety, though Pennsylvania leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to West Virginia?
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to West Virginia?
The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 73°F in Charleston. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Charleston gets 44.4 in.
