Apartments for Rent in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is an interesting mix of industry and agriculture that is also one of the most important historical states of the original thirteen colonies. Farming has always been important here, with mushrooms, corn, poultry and dairy products all being cash crops that contribute heavily to the economy. Pennsylvania is one of the U.S.'s most important states for the export of Christmas trees.

At the same time, steel, iron and limestone are also important industries. Pittsburgh, in fact, grew up around the steel mills located at the jointure of three major rivers in the western region of the state. Philadelphia is a center for education and commerce, including pharmaceuticals and electronics. Some major companies located in Pennsylvania include US Steel, PPG Industries, PNC Bank, Alcoa, Heinz, Hershey's (chocolates), Utz and Troyer farms. Obviously, food products are also important to the economy, with many regional favorites such as pretzels, chocolate and scrapple.

Outdoor Attractions

Ethnic diversity has given rise to literally thousands of annual outdoor festivals across the state, particularly centering around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Regional and ethnic foods abound as well as cultural heritage performances that include music and dance. Lancaster and York Counties are popular travel destinations for those who want to observe the lifestyle of simpler times – these regions have the highest population of Amish and Mennonite families in the U.S.

Historical sites in Philadelphia are numerous, including Independence Hall, and sites like Valley Forge and Gettysburg battlefield draw thousands of visitors every year.

Pennsylvania draws more hunters than almost any other state due to its abundance of white tail deer and wild turkey. For family entertainment, Pennsylvania also has in incredibly rich array of major amusement parks, including some of the oldest parks in the U.S. Lake Erie provides boating, fishing and water sports.

Colleges and Universities

You can find an apartment in almost any city in Pennsylvania that is in or near a college campus. The state is known for its dedication to education; the Pennsylvania State University System alone has twenty-four campuses. Philadelphia’s Temple University is one of the finest medical and law schools in the country as well as the University of Pennsylvania, a member of the Ivy League. Other prestigious schools include Dickinson, Bryn Mawr, Carnegie Mellon University, The University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne.

Real Estate and Housing

Although the cost of Pennsylvania apartments is close to the national average, where you are looking makes a big difference. Philadelphia apartments can run close to 30% higher than the average due to the presence of many universities and the rapid expansion of the suburbs. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania apartments are more reasonable, particularly if you look in the renovation areas that were once part of the warehouse district. In both of these cities, ethnic neighborhoods offer surprising apartment rental bargains close to small markets and college activities. Apartments in central Pennsylvania can be real bargains and offer you a prime location between two prominent cities.