State rankings

Best Counties to Live in Pennsylvania

Compare counties in Pennsylvania by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.

#1 in PA

Washington County

76.1

Overall score

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#2 in PA

Montour County

Overall score

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#3 in PA

Clarion County

72.6

Overall score

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#4 in PA

Butler County

71.9

Overall score

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#5 in PA

Cumberland County

71.7

Overall score

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Category highlights

Quick entry points for common county search priorities.

National rankings

Best overall

Washington County

Overall score 76.1

Most affordable

Cambria County

Affordability 93.3

Best schools

Chester County

Schools 99.5

Safest

Clarion County

Safety 100

Lowest taxes

Bedford County

Taxes 64.7

Best peace & quiet

McKean County

Peace & Quiet 88.3

All Pennsylvania counties

Showing 67 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

Rank	County	Overall	Economy	Afford.	Schools	Safety	Taxes	Peace & Quiet	Typical home	Income
1	Washington County FIPS 42125	76.1	66.5	73.6	90.9	99.9	43.4	71.9	$234,812	$78,958
2	Montour County FIPS 42093	73	74.2	62.4	96.9	67.5	49.6	87.2	$274,764	$76,976
3	Clarion County FIPS 42031	72.6	46.7	83.6	81.6	100	46.2	81.6	$137,888	$62,649
4	Butler County FIPS 42019	71.9	73.9	65.3	97.7	61.8	47.1	71.9	$309,403	$89,843
5	Cumberland County FIPS 42041	71.7	77.5	55.4	96.2	78.1	45.5	59.4	$345,528	$87,494
6	Elk County FIPS 42047	71.5	54	86.4	90.9	66.9	37.6	87.8	$135,582	$66,380
7	Adams County FIPS 42001	71.4	68.9	58.6	85.8	99.9	36.1	74.9	$330,293	$84,092
8	Somerset County FIPS 42111	71.1	48	75.3	91.5	81.3	57.4	79.9	$173,654	$61,446
9	Chester County FIPS 42029	71	82.8	41.6	99.5	100	30.7	38.5	$571,120	$127,208
10	Mercer County FIPS 42085	70.8	49.4	77.3	80.4	99.9	39.7	82.2	$172,045	$59,976
11	York County FIPS 42133	70	68.3	63.6	85.3	100	22.2	54.9	$305,195	$84,829
12	Union County FIPS 42119	69.9	65.3	57.5	99.1	-	45.9	86.3	$288,804	$76,404
13	Beaver County FIPS 42007	69.6	53.7	76.3	82	99.9	25.8	63.6	$200,222	$71,089
14	Lancaster County FIPS 42071	69.1	75	47.4	86.7	100	35.8	51.5	$381,587	$86,959
15	Westmoreland County FIPS 42129	69	59.4	79.6	96.7	54.7	34	65.8	$203,720	$74,109
16	Bucks County FIPS 42017	68.6	77.6	42.9	98.3	100	29	18.2	$517,600	$114,764
17	Fulton County FIPS 42057	68.6	57.4	67.6	90.4	-	48.6	82.4	$226,139	$65,836
18	Allegheny County FIPS 42003	68.5	61.9	69	90.1	100	17.7	18.7	$237,963	$78,548
19	Sullivan County FIPS 42113	68	51.4	68.9	77.8	92.3	48.7	72.7	$206,445	$69,764
20	Armstrong County FIPS 42005	67.7	54.4	87.8	80.7	63.9	24.8	79.5	$151,383	$65,008
21	Centre County FIPS 42027	66.6	62.1	41.5	98.1	86.9	38.8	83.3	$345,529	$74,291
22	Clearfield County FIPS 42033	66.6	51.2	88.2	71.3	59.6	44.3	83.1	$132,928	$62,152
23	Jefferson County FIPS 42065	65.7	44.8	87.4	78	56.8	43.7	83.6	$122,665	$58,686
24	McKean County FIPS 42083	65.7	47.1	92.5	66.3	72.1	22.7	88.3	$106,463	$62,905
25	Columbia County FIPS 42037	65.1	50.8	60.6	93.9	64.8	45.8	82.5	$238,280	$64,644
26	Montgomery County FIPS 42091	64.9	82.3	45.5	99.2	64.5	24.6	19.1	$486,540	$113,915
27	Venango County FIPS 42121	64.6	45.6	88.3	53	82.2	40.9	82.7	$127,374	$61,522
28	Bedford County FIPS 42009	64.5	54.1	65.8	71.1	-	64.7	83	$207,380	$59,992
29	Blair County FIPS 42013	64.5	56.8	76.8	78.4	45	47.5	77.8	$169,524	$62,382
30	Snyder County FIPS 42109	64.4	61.4	69.4	87.7	39.8	39.7	84	$220,764	$66,876
31	Lawrence County FIPS 42073	64.3	47.5	83.5	81.6	53.8	33.8	75.5	$156,670	$61,931
32	Northampton County FIPS 42095	63.6	67.1	53.1	75.3	99.9	20.1	29.3	$363,989	$89,184
33	Pike County FIPS 42103	63.6	60.7	56.4	92.9	-	30.4	63.5	$299,136	$81,323
34	Tioga County FIPS 42117	63.6	49.1	65.7	71.7	77.8	47.6	82.4	$216,307	$64,899
35	Erie County FIPS 42049	63.5	51.3	65.6	66.4	99.9	23.9	71.8	$216,190	$63,354
36	Perry County FIPS 42099	62.6	68.8	64.4	57.8	-	44	79.7	$289,440	$79,444
37	Wayne County FIPS 42127	62.3	53.1	39.4	94.3	87.9	36	70.7	$302,904	$62,381
38	Susquehanna County FIPS 42115	62.1	52.2	61.9	72	72.5	43.8	77.6	$234,457	$68,487
39	Wyoming County FIPS 42131	61.8	51.2	72.7	70.8	63.7	29.2	82.9	$222,166	$72,460
40	Franklin County FIPS 42055	61.5	69.2	61.5	70.6	41.3	45.9	78.5	$287,840	$77,003
41	Northumberland County FIPS 42097	61.5	55.6	78.7	66.6	44.3	41.7	75.1	$160,850	$60,583
42	Berks County FIPS 42011	61.4	61.7	59.1	59	99.9	15.6	56.2	$306,726	$79,777
43	Juniata County FIPS 42067	60.6	58.4	65.9	58.3	-	48.1	79.7	$226,915	$66,318
44	Schuylkill County FIPS 42107	60.5	52.9	82.9	52.9	61.3	30.8	73.7	$161,536	$68,313
45	Warren County FIPS 42123	60.2	49.2	83.7	57.9	50.5	36.3	83.5	$134,885	$60,480
46	Bradford County FIPS 42015	60.1	61	68.9	60.8	45.2	44.8	84.3	$200,780	$63,675
47	Lycoming County FIPS 42081	59.8	51.6	62.7	92.7	33.6	32.8	86.4	$228,850	$63,917
48	Crawford County FIPS 42039	59.6	50.1	76.5	58.1	61.8	30	81.5	$157,667	$60,476
49	Greene County FIPS 42059	59.4	47.4	91.4	44.6	58.4	28.6	82.3	$139,552	$68,041
50	Potter County FIPS 42105	59.1	38.6	73.4	66.5	67.4	38.3	78.2	$159,338	$59,020
51	Cambria County FIPS 42021	59	45.2	93.3	65.3	34.2	23.1	76.8	$95,550	$58,418
52	Cameron County FIPS 42023	58	27.8	85.1	65.8	68.9	21.1	82.5	$83,507	$50,573
53	Lebanon County FIPS 42075	57.9	68.7	55.8	59	53	37.1	66.3	$312,952	$78,425
54	Huntingdon County FIPS 42061	57.5	48.8	75.5	41.2	61.8	51	76.5	$179,034	$65,557
55	Mifflin County FIPS 42087	56.7	59.9	71	36.1	61.7	34.7	80.7	$190,156	$63,953
56	Indiana County FIPS 42063	56	42.2	77.7	81.5	22.6	22.4	81.7	$161,605	$60,208
57	Monroe County FIPS 42089	56	58.2	58.9	67.6	60.1	12.8	58	$309,094	$83,565
58	Clinton County FIPS 42035	55.1	44.3	68.7	48.3	57.7	42.3	85.1	$194,173	$60,816
59	Forest County FIPS 42053	54.5	31.8	76.5	35.7	72	55.3	78.9	$124,212	$52,191
60	Delaware County FIPS 42045	52.7	66.1	53.2	74.7	42.9	6	18.5	$362,148	$89,546
61	Lackawanna County FIPS 42069	52.4	52.7	64.4	62.7	36.9	20.6	59.1	$219,839	$66,223
62	Luzerne County FIPS 42079	50.4	46.6	66.1	45.2	44.3	32.9	64.9	$214,820	$63,691
63	Fayette County FIPS 42051	49.6	36.9	83	32.1	33.4	42.6	78	$143,352	$58,236
64	Carbon County FIPS 42025	49.5	50.2	57.8	47.3	44.9	29.5	67.5	$262,324	$67,554
65	Lehigh County FIPS 42077	48.7	60.4	46.1	65.4	40.5	18.9	21.3	$358,001	$80,079
66	Dauphin County FIPS 42043	47.3	59.5	59.9	46.1	14.6	32.5	55.9	$275,929	$76,242
67	Philadelphia County FIPS 42101	31	38.6	57.3	3.8	2.2	52	14.1	$231,821	$61,953