Best counties to retire to in Pennsylvania
Best counties to retire to in Pennsylvania
Buyers and sellers of real estate alike—when asked what the three most essential considerations about a property are—will nearly always reply "location, location, location." While this answer is sometimes tongue-in-cheek, it is often quite accurate, and this reply perhaps applies to retirees more than any other demographic. Settling down after a lifetime of working and possibly raising a family calls for the perfect location: a spot where you can enjoy life with as few concerns as possible.
When seniors aged 65 or older decide where they want to live out their golden years, they consider particular factors, such as the cost of living, government services, health care facilities, weather and overall climate, crime rate, outdoor recreational activities, eating establishments, cultural and entertainment opportunities, and more.
To find the best counties to retire to in Pennsylvania based on these criteria, Stacker compiled a list using 2025 rankings from Niche, which ranks counties based on cost of living, health care access, recreation, weather, and more. You can read more about Niche's methodology here.
While location is critical as retirees determine where to spend their senior years enjoying favorite activities, it's a unique decision based on many preferences and needs. Whether it be bustling downtowns or access to parks, affordable home prices or cultural amenities like museums, retirees seeking to settle in a permanent spot are sure to find a private paradise in any of these counties recommended by Niche because, in the end, there is no place like home—no matter the location.
Read on to discover the best counties to retire to in Pennsylvania.
#25. Mercer County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 109,852
- Median household income: $60,614
- Median home value: $153,600
- Top places to live: Grove City (A), Hermitage (B+), Pine Township (B+)
#24. Lackawanna County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 215,834
- Median household income: $64,691
- Median home value: $189,900
- Top places to live: Clarks Summit (A+), Roaring Brook Township (A), Clarks Green (A-)
#23. Lebanon County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 143,592
- Median household income: $76,350
- Median home value: $227,300
- Top places to live: North Londonderry Township (A-), Campbelltown (A-), Cleona (A-)
#22. Northumberland County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 90,925
- Median household income: $57,948
- Median home value: $151,600
- Top places to live: Riverside (A-), Watsontown (B), Mount Carmel (B-)
#21. Clearfield County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 78,902
- Median household income: $60,181
- Median home value: $125,000
- Top places to live: Treasure Lake (A-), Pike Township (B), DuBois (B)
#20. Dauphin County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 287,484
- Median household income: $74,159
- Median home value: $222,300
- Top places to live: Hershey (A), Penbrook (A), Palmdale (A)
#19. Sullivan County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B+), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 5,849
- Median household income: $64,758
- Median home value: $186,400
- Top places to live: Colley Township (B), Forks Township (B), Laporte Township (B)
#18. Delaware County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (C+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 576,195
- Median household income: $88,576
- Median home value: $302,400
- Top places to live: Swarthmore (A+), Nether Providence Township (A+), Rose Valley (A+)
#17. Washington County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 209,778
- Median household income: $77,487
- Median home value: $220,600
- Top places to live: McMurray (A), Thompsonville (A), Canonsburg (A-)
#16. Wayne County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B-), weather (C), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 51,189
- Median household income: $62,182
- Median home value: $228,200
- Top places to live: Dyberry Township (B), Cherry Ridge Township (B), Berlin Township (B-)
#15. Bucks County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (C), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 645,993
- Median household income: $111,951
- Median home value: $421,700
- Top places to live: Buckingham Township (A+), Doylestown Township (A+), Warwick Township (A+)
#14. Butler County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 195,870
- Median household income: $86,775
- Median home value: $275,600
- Top places to live: Cranberry Township (A), Seven Fields (A), Adams Township (A)
#13. Union County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C+), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 42,570
- Median household income: $72,894
- Median home value: $222,900
- Top places to live: Linntown (A), Lewisburg (A), Mifflinburg (B+)
#12. Beaver County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (B), weather (C), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 166,993
- Median household income: $70,156
- Median home value: $185,500
- Top places to live: Beaver (A), Chippewa Township (A-), Brighton Township (A-)
#11. Schuylkill County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 143,259
- Median household income: $66,901
- Median home value: $140,400
- Top places to live: Orwigsburg (A-), Minersville (B+), Pine Grove (B+)
#10. Bedford County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 47,503
- Median household income: $60,302
- Median home value: $172,900
- Top places to live: Bedford (B), Bedford Township (B), Londonderry Township (B-)
#9. Allegheny County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 1,240,476
- Median household income: $76,393
- Median home value: $216,700
- Top places to live: Aspinwall (A+), Franklin Park (A+), Bradford Woods (A+)
#8. Cumberland County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B-), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 264,422
- Median household income: $85,634
- Median home value: $261,900
- Top places to live: Camp Hill (A+), Hampden Township (A+), Upper Allen Township (A)
#7. Crawford County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 83,189
- Median household income: $60,254
- Median home value: $143,400
- Top places to live: West Mead Township (B), Cambridge Springs (B), Titusville (B-)
#6. Warren County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (C-), outdoor activities (B-)
- Population: 38,174
- Median household income: $59,013
- Median home value: $121,800
- Top places to live: Warren (B), North Warren (B-), Russell (B-)
#5. Westmoreland County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (C-), outdoor activities (A-)
- Population: 353,345
- Median household income: $72,468
- Median home value: $193,100
- Top places to live: Murrysville (A+), North Huntingdon Township (A), Level Green (A)
#4. Blair County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 121,854
- Median household income: $60,594
- Median home value: $156,700
- Top places to live: Hollidaysburg (A), Blair Township (A-), Martinsburg (A-)
#3. Potter County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (C), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 16,276
- Median household income: $59,840
- Median home value: $146,200
- Top places to live: Summit Township (A-), Sharon Township (B), Sweden Township (B)
#2. Montgomery County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (C), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A)
- Population: 861,225
- Median household income: $111,521
- Median home value: $409,900
- Top places to live: Ardmore (A+), Penn Wynne (A+), Conshohocken (A+)
#1. Montour County
- Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B), weather (C+), outdoor activities (B+)
- Population: 18,079
- Median household income: $72,926
- Median home value: $240,300
- Top places to live: Valley Township (A), Danville (A-), Mahoning Township (B+)
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
