Located in the south-central region of Pennsylvania, York is the county seat of York County. It was the city of York where, in 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the country’s first constitution, the Articles of Confederation. Today, York is the 11th largest city in Pennsylvania and has been called an "architectural museum" because of its downtown, which features numerous well-preserved historic structures. 

What is the community of York like?  

Known as the “White Rose City,” York is home to around 43,900 residents and spans over 36 constituent neighborhoods. Much of the housing stock in York was built before World War II, making it one of the older and more historic cities in the country.  

The city’s downtown is dotted with several historic buildings such as 1741 Golden Plough Tavern, the 1751 General Horatio Gates House, the 1766 York Meetinghouse, the 1863 Billmeyer House, the 1888 York Central Market, and the 1907 Moorish Revival Temple Beth Israel.  

Nonetheless, today York is a modern, well-resourced city offering the highest quality of life and a wide array of unique outdoor recreational opportunities. It is home to the 5,200-seat Peoples Bank Park, which hosted its first baseball regular-season game in June of 2007, with the York Revolution home team beating the Newark Bears. In 2008, the park was named the “Ballpark of the Year” by the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. 

If history interests you, you would love to visit the York County History Center, which is housed inside a former 1921 automobile dealership, and consists of various exhibits that highlight the history of Pennsylvania’s York County, ranging from displays on the early American period and the Civil War era to fine arts and the decorative arts.  

York is also home to eight lush parks and numerous gorgeous trails, prominent among them being the York County Heritage Rail Trail, which stretches over 21 miles and offers a great place for both residents and travelers alike to bike, walk, run, or ride through the trail that winds its way through several scenic areas throughout the county.  

York is home to two main shopping centers: York Galleria and West Manchester Town Center. York Galleria is an enclosed, indoor shopping mall located just northeast of York, and houses stores of the likes of Boscov's, Gold's Gym, H&M, and Marshalls. West Manchester Town Center, on the other hand, is an open-air shopping center west of the city of York, and also plays home to several nationally renowned retailers, specialty stores, and restaurants.  

What is Real Estate like in York?     

Real estate in York has shown an average growth of 1.74% per year since the year 2000. Also, since 2000, the prices of homes in York have overall appreciated by a strong 43.65%. National real estate firm Berkshire Hathaway categorizes York’s housing market as ‘very competitive’. The sale prices of homes in York have experienced a growth of more than 1.1% since May last year.   

The median home price in York is $180,000. Currently, there are 807 active homes for sale in York, and normally it takes just 46 days for a listed home to sell.   

How is the economic landscape of York?     

York is home to dental equipment giant, Dentsply Sirona. Dentsply Sirona is a NASDAQ-listed company and is internationally known throughout the dentistry business. A large Harley-Davidson motorcycle factory, which employs roughly half of Harley's production workforce, is located just northeast of York in Springettsbury Township.

Over the last year, York’s job market has grown by 0.5%, while forecasts show that the city’s job market is expected to grow by 20.8% over the next ten years.   

On average, a York resident earns around $24,800 per annum. The city’s median household income per resident is $28,800. Most of the residents of York work in manufacturing, retail, wholesale, and transportation. 

How are the schools in York?     

York is covered by 10 school districts, with York City School District being the city’s major school district encompassing 9 schools and 5,123 enrolled students. York also lies in proximity to many colleges including, among others, York College Pennsylvania, Yorktowne Business Institute, and Elizabethtown College.  

When it comes to higher education, York lies less than two hours’ drive away from Pennsylvania’s most prestigious higher educational institution – the 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.  

York in a nutshell        

To sum up, York is a thriving city that offers all the modern urban amenities including lush parks, immersive shopping centers, a plethora of fine restaurants, a bustling downtown, and access to great schools. The city’s historical and cultural scenes have built on centuries-old foundations and its unique museums are second to none. If you are mulling over moving to Pennsylvania, York would make a great place to call home.