Your motto will soon be ‘goodbye tension, hello pension’ if you decide to call Pennsylvania home for your retirement years.
Pennsylvania is one of 37 states that does not tax Social Security and one of nine states that does not have an income tax. It is considered one of the most “tax-friendly” states in America, and this is why it is one of the best states to retire in the country.
There are some places, however, in the Keystone State that are better than others for retirees, and we’re here to tell you where the best places to retire in Pennsylvania for 2025
How’d we determine the best places to retire in Pennsylvania? To identify Pennsylvania’s top ten, we consulted the numbers. In total, we analyzed 53 cities. We looked at important factors like cost of living, crime, amenities, rent, and distance to the closest airport for every place with over 10,000 residents.
You’ll find the majority of Pennsylvania’s best places to retire located close to the state’s biggest cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Additionally, many of Pennsylvania’s best places to retire are also some of the state’s safest.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Pennsylvania For 2025
What’s the best place to retire in Pennsylvania? According to the latest data, the best place to retire in Pennsylvania is Johnstown.
To learn more about the best places to retire in the Quaker State, look at the list below.
Why did Johnstown take the top spot? And where are Philadelphia and Pittsburgh?
For more Pennsylvania state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Pennsylvania
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Pennsylvania For 2025
/10
Population: 18,245
Median Income: $34,784
Median Home Price: $42,100
Median Rent: $616
Distance to Closest Airport: 15 miles
More on Johnstown: Data
/10
Population: 10,366
Median Income: $82,719
Median Home Price: $225,400
Median Rent: $1,156
Distance to Closest Airport: 3 miles
More on Northampton: Data
/10
Population: 10,610
Median Income: $60,340
Median Home Price: $103,800
Median Rent: $787
Distance to Closest Airport: 17 miles
More on Nanticoke: Data
/10
Population: 14,863
Median Income: $85,000
Median Home Price: $229,200
Median Rent: $909
Distance to Closest Airport: 15 miles
More on Whitehall: Data
/10
Population: 12,072
Median Income: $49,644
Median Home Price: $132,400
Median Rent: $694
Distance to Closest Airport: 25 miles
More on New Kensington: Data
/10
Population: 10,291
Median Income: $45,338
Median Home Price: $135,000
Median Rent: $788
Distance to Closest Airport: 33 miles
More on Berwick: Data
/10
Population: 10,633
Median Income: $52,037
Median Home Price: $118,900
Median Rent: $774
Distance to Closest Airport: 18 miles
More on Munhall: Data
/10
Population: 76,074
Median Income: $49,531
Median Home Price: $141,700
Median Rent: $991
Distance to Closest Airport: 5 miles
More on Scranton: Data
/10
Population: 14,777
Median Income: $62,977
Median Home Price: $177,000
Median Rent: $829
Distance to Closest Airport: 38 miles
More on Greensburg: Data
/10
Population: 11,727
Median Income: $82,875
Median Home Price: $244,300
Median Rent: $1,331
Distance to Closest Airport: 8 miles
More on Emmaus: Data
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Keystone State for 2025
To create our ranking of the best places in Pennsylvania to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Keystone State — 1752 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 53 places from across the state.
For these 53, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 53, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Johnstown, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2025. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in Pennsylvania.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Pennsylvania Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Pennsylvania goes to Johnstown.
The best places to retire in Pennsylvania are Johnstown, Northampton, Nanticoke, Whitehall, New Kensington, Berwick, Munhall, Scranton, Greensburg, and Emmaus.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Allentown
- State College
- Coatesville
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnstown | 18,245 | $34,784 | $42,100 | $616 |
| 2 | Northampton | 10,366 | $82,719 | $225,400 | $1,156 |
| 3 | Nanticoke | 10,610 | $60,340 | $103,800 | $787 |
| 4 | Whitehall | 14,863 | $85,000 | $229,200 | $909 |
| 5 | New Kensington | 12,072 | $49,644 | $132,400 | $694 |
| 6 | Berwick | 10,291 | $45,338 | $135,000 | $788 |
| 7 | Munhall | 10,633 | $52,037 | $118,900 | $774 |
| 8 | Scranton | 76,074 | $49,531 | $141,700 | $991 |
| 9 | Greensburg | 14,777 | $62,977 | $177,000 | $829 |
| 10 | Emmaus | 11,727 | $82,875 | $244,300 | $1,331 |