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lmcco85 t1_j2nikae wrote

Reply to comment by GruffWaffle835 in Drove through Pennsylvania for the first time in over half a decade today... by BengaliFloatzel

What area did you move to? Husband and I are thinking of moving to PA from Hawaii. We have two kids in middle school.

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MothWingAngel t1_j2nkuk3 wrote

So long as you're at least in the periphery of a major town and do a small bit of homework, most of PA is fine

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lmcco85 t1_j2nohl5 wrote

We've been looking at the pocono area

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MothWingAngel t1_j2np01u wrote

I'm on the other end of the state, but as I understand it, a lot of folks are moving there from NYC which may be impacting home prices and rent.

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lmcco85 t1_j2nsjn1 wrote

Ah... It's been really hard to find a place that checks all the boxes. We are just so far away we can't really come check out all the spots and then decide

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MothWingAngel t1_j2nzzvb wrote

Some of the smaller cities like Lancaster, Erie, etc are underrated. Maybe look around into areas like that

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lmcco85 t1_j2plksk wrote

Really appreciate this, thank you!!

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Slatherass t1_j2olyle wrote

There’s some very nice smaller towns right outside of Erie,Pa. You got the lake right there and a couple decent sized cities in Erie and Buffalo,NY a short drive away.

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sassysmurfed t1_j2pt9wc wrote

We discovered the Poconos, and absolutely love the area. No children in school here though so so can’t speak for the education system. Beautiful year round and we get all 4 seasons

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lmcco85 t1_j2puwn8 wrote

Mahalo! The Poconos really look pretty great. It's going to be quite an adjustment coming from Hawaii, but the cost of living out here is just unsustainable.

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sassysmurfed t1_j2ry1dn wrote

Yeah. We visited Kauai a few years ago. It made our souls sing. Was expensive but still not much more than NYC

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lmcco85 t1_j2sm8v6 wrote

Everything has basically doubled in the last 5 years. We are now paying $8 for a gallon on milk. Gas prices are low again though, back down to $4.50. My monthly 475 for HOA is going up to $500, and electrify that used to be about $300/mo is now $450

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sassysmurfed t1_j2ucqrn wrote

Our annual HOA fees are $2600 now. Gas was $3.63/gal today, and my gallon of milk was $6.49 on sale

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lmcco85 t1_j2ufzid wrote

That HOA fee is a lot easier to swallow. What about the electricity bills? And wifi? I know milk is a little higher in PA just because of the laws around it and the money that goes back to the farmers, I'm ok with that.

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sassysmurfed t1_j2umekz wrote

14.612 cents per kwh Wi-Fi is actually not too bad. Like $125/month for a Gbps

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GruffWaffle835 t1_j2npcdr wrote

I've lived in Lancaster and Philly (which is where I am currently). I adore both. Lancaster is an amazing small city (feels more like a big town) with beautiful buildings, artsy feel, unparalleled food market, and proximity to parks. I'd still be living there if there were enough job prospects for me (I do something relatively niche so don't let that deter you). That being said, I'm incredibly happy in Philly as well, and my partner and I bought a home here so we're settling in for the long haul. The greater Philly area has a lot to offer as far as variability depending on what you're looking for- you can obviously have a very urban feel if that's what you're after by living closer to center city, but there are some amazing suburbs with easy access downtown too if you want the best of both worlds. We absolutely love our neighborhood. We don't have kids yet though, so I can't give you too much advice there. Some of the public schools in Philly are top notch, and there's many charter and private options, if you prefer that and can afford it.

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lmcco85 t1_j2nq48x wrote

Really appreciate this, thank you! We've been looking in the Pocono area. We haven't been to the mainland US since 2018 so thinking of leaving the islands for good has been hard

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GruffWaffle835 t1_j2nuo93 wrote

I can imagine! It's obviously like comparing apples to oranges, PA to Hawaii, but the Poconos are a stunning area. A member of my extended family had a cabin there when I was a kid that we'd get to go to from time to time and those are my favorite childhood memories, running around in the forest. I haven't gone back yet as an adult so I don't know what the schools/local resources/culture is like there (though I do think it tends to lean more Republican there, if that's a pro or con for you) but it's a beautiful neck of the Pennsylvania woods.

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lmcco85 t1_j2nvvaj wrote

I would really prefer to live in a left leaning area honestly, but all I have to go by is the county elections map.

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GruffWaffle835 t1_j2nykbb wrote

It's worth looking into! Maybe the area is swinging more blue these days. Otherwise, if you want a left area that (I think) is close to the Poconos/wooded areas, check out Jim Thorpe (the name of a town) and thereabouts!

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oldoysterhouse t1_j2pyldp wrote

Noticed all the lancaster love after posting my comment. One thing to add - lancaster city is left leaning, lancaster county is historically right.

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IrisOpen t1_j2oxyzf wrote

If you can find pictures, look at some of the towns in Wyoming, Wayne and Lackawanna counties. Wyoming and Wayne are more rural. Lackawanna has “stuff” and the areas outside Scranton are pretty beautiful. I used to drive through the town of Ransom and my jaw would hit my lap in the summer. Good luck.

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Golden4Pres t1_j2pcyl8 wrote

The Wyoming valley is a great place. I live there and almost all of my family does too. 20 min drive to Wilkes barre and a 35-40 min drive (depending on traffic on 81) to Scranton. Home prices aren’t too bad since the Nee Yorkers and New Jersey folk haven’t flicked here yet. About a 2 hour drive to either border

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