Located on the east end of the Susquehanna River, Harrisburg is a gorgeous city located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area, Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Dauphin County. The historic city of Harrisburg played a prominent role in American history during the Westward Migration, the American Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution. 

What is the community of Harrisburg like?  

Located 107 miles west of Philadelphia, Harrisburg is a historic community home to 18th- and 19th-century structures, picturesque views of the Susquehanna River, and a plethora of museums and art centers. In 2010, Forbes rated Harrisburg as the second-best place in the U.S. to raise a family, and in the same year, Harrisburg stood 7th in the list of 20 recession-proof metropolitan areas across the country.  

Home to around 49,500 residents, Harrisburg is the 13th largest community in Pennsylvania and offers a wide array of exciting recreational opportunities to its residents and visitors alike. The city is home to the 130,000-square-feet Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, which is Central Pennsylvania’s most important center for promoting art, culture, education, and science. Located on Market Street, the center has three floors with exhibits and experiences that range from science and movies to live performances of dance, music, and theater. In addition, there is an art gallery and a whole area dedicated to kids' entertainment. 

Harrisburg is a city that brings communities together by playing host to some of the region’s most popular festivals and community events. The Pennsylvania Farm Show – the largest indoor agriculture exposition in the United States - is held every January at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, located in Harrisburg. The show was first held in Harrisburg in 1917 and has been held there every early-to-mid January since then. The city also hosts the annual Pennsylvania Auto Show, which features a large static display of new as well as classic cars and is renowned nationwide. 

Other interesting activities in Harrisburg include visiting the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Thanks to its murals, sculptures, and stained-glass windows, the building is known as a “palace of arts,” and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. You may also want to visit the picturesque Wildwood Park that lies on the outskirts of Harrisburg and is home to several plants and animals, some of which are endangered.  

What is Real Estate like in Harrisburg?     

Real estate in Harrisburg has shown an average growth of 1.61% per year since the year 2000. Since 2000, the prices of homes in Harrisburg have overall appreciated by 39.92%. National real estate firm Berkshire Hathaway categorizes Harrisburg’s housing market as ‘very competitive’. The sale prices of homes in Harrisburg have experienced strong growth of more than 20.2% since May last year.   

The median home price in Harrisburg is $175,000. Currently, there are 705 active homes for sale in Harrisburg, and normally it takes just 46 days for a listed home to sell.

How is the economic landscape of Harrisburg?    

Harrison is a metropolitan center for more than 400 communities. Thanks to the region’s extensive transportation infrastructure, the city has become a prominent center for trade, warehousing, and distribution. Some of the top employers in Harrisburg include the federal and state governments, Giant Food Stores, The Hershey Company, and Wal-Mart Stores. 

Over the last year, Harrisburg’s job market has grown by 0.3%, while forecasts show that the city’s job market is expected to grow by 21.8% over the next ten years.  

On average, a Harrisburg resident earns around $28,600 per annum. The city’s median household income per resident is $32,400. Most of the residents of Harrisburg work in manufacturing, retail, finance, administrative services, transportation, accommodation, educational services, professional and technical services, and healthcare.   

How are the schools in Harrisburg?     

Harrisburg is covered by 5 school districts, with Harrisburg City School District being the city’s major school district encompassing 16 schools and 6,398 enrolled students. Besides, Harrisburg also lies in proximity to many colleges including, among others, Harrisburg Area Community College, Messiah College, and Dickinson College. 

When it comes to higher education, Harrisburg plays home to several universities such as the University of Phoenix Harrisburg Campus and Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.  

Yet, the most prestigious university in proximity to Harrisburg is the historic University of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1740, UPenn is one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the U.S. Declaration of Independence with its founder and the first president being the great Benjamin Franklin. Today, UPenn has four undergraduate schools as well as twelve graduate and professional schools, including the famous Wharton School of Business. Undergraduate admissions to the University of Pennsylvania are considered by US News to be "most selective". For the class of 2024, entering in the fall of 2020, the university received 42,205 applications and admitted just 8.07 percent of the applicants. 

Harrisburg in a nutshell        

To sum up, Harrisburg is a historic community that enjoys the highest quality of life and all the modern urban amenities that a major metropolis can offer. The city has been termed as one of the best cities in America to raise a family, and its financial stability over the decades has been incredibly impressive. Should you decide to move to Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is the place to be.