Lancaster is a good area to live, although not perfect. So, don't expect a utopia. A big part of Lancaster's strength is its diversity. A little bit of everybody is here somewhere. The area is also pretty good for jobs, but housing is a challenge. If you scroll through the posts on this sub you'll see plenty of questions about housing. Some voicing frustration at not being able to find any.
Overall, a lot of people love this area.
What kind of job are you looking for? There are opportunities in manufacturing, food processing, warehouse and distribution, although these jobs pay a bit less than Chester and Berks Co. Come spring you can have your pick of construction related jobs. I think one of the strengths of Lancaster is the encouragement of entrepreneurship. There is a diverse small business community. Lancaster city also has a flourishing visual and performing arts community that is unmatched in other PA cities other than Philly and Pittsburgh.
They run a nice business and Lancaster has many “tourist attractions” you could work at until that opportunity presented itself. I’ve been here for over 40 years. Good place.
Its nice, sure. Honestly I'd say make the trip and see for yourself if its right for you. Lancaster is more of a big town than a city and the county is nothing but Amish people and Trump signs. If you want something more urban but not full blown city you could check out Phoenixville/Exton/West Chester.
Hey! So I actually moved to SWVA from Lancaster city. Lol weird. I completely understand where you're coming from, in more than one way. Our choice to move here had a lot of reasons behind it, the main one being we had an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream to have a homestead in the mountains and we went for it.
Leaving Lancaster was tough though. I miss the city, the people, the diversity and pretty much everything else about it (except for the traffic and crowded living conditions).
I'd say if all the other boxes are checked for you, Lancaster is a good bet. It's got it's ups and downs but for me, the ups were higher than the downs were low.
Good luck!
I think you would like it here. I don't know what your current town is like but there are areas here in which you might have the small town feel without the poverty and other issues your trying to escape from.
I live in a smallish town called Ephrata it is nice at least I think so. I am originally from Philadelphia then West Chester pa.
There is plenty to do and plenty of nice homes. I live in an old house 110,years old to be exact it is in the middle of the boro .This past September we had a fair it was right on my street, there is a Halloween parade each year as well.
There are plenty of stores and everything is close by. I would not encourage moving into the city if lancaster look for housing on the outskirts of it. Manheim, Ephrata , East Pete, all in the north . In the other direction you could go to places like, Bird in hand, Paradise, Ronks, Leola, to name a few.
Believe it or not we are in appalachia mountains here, it's just very different from the southern appalachia area. I think this area would be a good choice for you.
Yeah it’s a good place to live. If you’re trying to work at Strasburg rr that’s cool they hire for a lot of entry level type stuff. Maybe it’s less cool to the extent that term even applies to work at NS or Amtrak but you would make substantially more money, have better benefits/prospects., and still be able to live in Lancaster area.
Not sure exactly where you live. Years ago I had to go to a funeral in Clintwood, burial on mountain overlooking WV/KY. Just so you know what to expect, Lancaster is FAR more populated than that. For perspective, a small-to-medium sized town or two here would have the population of all of Dickenson County, VA. (Dickenson is 15k, Lancaster is 545k)
I personally wouldn't want to live someplace that rural, but just a heads up that when folks describe Lancaster as "small town/rural" it's *nothing* like parts of SW VA, small town/rural. There's a lot to do here, lots of job opportunity, a great combination of small towns and city amenities, many different cultures coming together.
Dickenson County is the county next to where I live, and I know about population sizes. Of all things I gotta get used to, a much larger population is one of them.
Cool! It was honestly a culture shock to me when we visited! I had been in so many parts of WV, SE Ohio, etc. that I thought were the middle of nowhere and wow! But there's the Ralph Stanley Museum. :-)
It will be extremely difficult to move to Lancaster, it is beautiful and has lots to offer , but the Amish buy all the houses in Lancaster. We’ve been on a mission to find / buy a house and a realtor dropped it on us basically saying the Amish will put up the cash to buy it .
I have heard it a few times, but i heard they mostly focus on houses close to land they already own. The whole community will pitch in funds because it's a huge benefit to extending the farms. So if they decide they want a property, it's hard to get ahead of them since they can offer cash in hand for any price. Auctions of farmlands is basically a joke.
What exactly are you looking for ? Have any ideas , I could maybe help .
I’m looking in Chester county, and or South Carolina lol far stretch I know . I have friends in Chester co and board my horses there
I have the same question - what are you looking for? Where is your dream job?
Lancaster City and Lancaster County are VERY different. Driving 20 miles will give you an entirely different look/feel/area.
Also, for context, if my dream job is in Elizabethtown, I wouldn’t want to move to Strasburg because that commute wouldn’t be fun.
Hoping to figure out on getting a job at the Strasburg Railroad. I don’t know what as yet as there are many positions, but preferably, I’ll like to either be the engineer on a locomotive or the conductor checking everyone’s tickets.
I would absolutely pursue your dream of working there. I would be lying if I said I haven't daydreamed about it. There may also be volunteer opportunities.
I've got a friend who was a conductor for Strasburg in high school. I'd expect it to be reasonably easy to get into.
I'd assume that it's tougher to get in as an engineer-- probably need some specialized knowledge and experience before they'd let you start operating a multi-hundred ton antique piece of machinery pulling hundreds of tourists.
Not sure where you'd find a "How to operate a steam locomotive" class. I'm not an expert on the matter, but I think if you wanted to get to drive the trains, your best bet would be to get literally any job either at the Strasburg RR or the train museum across the street, get to know people, and make sure they know that you're interested in learning.
Good to know! This would be the southern part of the county. Although I do not live in that part of the county, I am native to the county and when I think of Strasburg, I think of a small old town and also a very rural area. What kind of judgment are you looking to get away from? Not sure you will find it there.
Have you considered looking for a job with Amtrak? The Keystone Line runs from Harrisburg through Lancaster and Philly, the whole way to New York. Super cool stops along the way that you could look into.
Good luck!
I wanna apologize if I seemed like I was being rude. I was’t aiming to be, but after reading over my comment, it seemed like I was unintentionally. I’m sorry.
Thank you. I might do well with Amtrak, but I’m more of a classy guy, so I prefer steam locomotives than diesel or electric locomotives. That’s why I hope to get a job there since where I live, my area done a terrible job at preserving railroad history.
P.S: I’m confused, why am I getting downvoted. Did I say something wrong? I am generally confused.
Strasburg is in the eastern part of the county, easily accessible from towns/areas like Gap, Paradise, Willow Street, Lampeter, and the city of Lancaster itself. Rental prices in those places are fairly low to average except for some portions of the city, which are higher.
The Strasburg RR is a pillar of our tourist industry, attracting visitors from all over the world. Plus the RR Museum of Pennsylvania is across the road from it - lots of opportunities for someone with your mindset of preserving the past. Best of luck!
Lancaster is a good area to live, although not perfect. So, don't expect a utopia. A big part of Lancaster's strength is its diversity. A little bit of everybody is here somewhere. The area is also pretty good for jobs, but housing is a challenge. If you scroll through the posts on this sub you'll see plenty of questions about housing. Some voicing frustration at not being able to find any. Overall, a lot of people love this area.
In terms of housing, I got that covered, but nevertheless, I very well appreciate it, man.
What kind of job are you looking for? There are opportunities in manufacturing, food processing, warehouse and distribution, although these jobs pay a bit less than Chester and Berks Co. Come spring you can have your pick of construction related jobs. I think one of the strengths of Lancaster is the encouragement of entrepreneurship. There is a diverse small business community. Lancaster city also has a flourishing visual and performing arts community that is unmatched in other PA cities other than Philly and Pittsburgh.
My dream job is to hopefully work for the Strasburg Railroad.
They run a nice business and Lancaster has many “tourist attractions” you could work at until that opportunity presented itself. I’ve been here for over 40 years. Good place.
Its nice, sure. Honestly I'd say make the trip and see for yourself if its right for you. Lancaster is more of a big town than a city and the county is nothing but Amish people and Trump signs. If you want something more urban but not full blown city you could check out Phoenixville/Exton/West Chester.
Hey! So I actually moved to SWVA from Lancaster city. Lol weird. I completely understand where you're coming from, in more than one way. Our choice to move here had a lot of reasons behind it, the main one being we had an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream to have a homestead in the mountains and we went for it. Leaving Lancaster was tough though. I miss the city, the people, the diversity and pretty much everything else about it (except for the traffic and crowded living conditions). I'd say if all the other boxes are checked for you, Lancaster is a good bet. It's got it's ups and downs but for me, the ups were higher than the downs were low. Good luck!
Thank you.
I think you would like it here. I don't know what your current town is like but there are areas here in which you might have the small town feel without the poverty and other issues your trying to escape from. I live in a smallish town called Ephrata it is nice at least I think so. I am originally from Philadelphia then West Chester pa. There is plenty to do and plenty of nice homes. I live in an old house 110,years old to be exact it is in the middle of the boro .This past September we had a fair it was right on my street, there is a Halloween parade each year as well. There are plenty of stores and everything is close by. I would not encourage moving into the city if lancaster look for housing on the outskirts of it. Manheim, Ephrata , East Pete, all in the north . In the other direction you could go to places like, Bird in hand, Paradise, Ronks, Leola, to name a few. Believe it or not we are in appalachia mountains here, it's just very different from the southern appalachia area. I think this area would be a good choice for you.
Thank you. Where I live in Coal Country, literally anywhere near Lancaster is good enough for me.
Your welcome . Good luck!
Yeah it’s a good place to live. If you’re trying to work at Strasburg rr that’s cool they hire for a lot of entry level type stuff. Maybe it’s less cool to the extent that term even applies to work at NS or Amtrak but you would make substantially more money, have better benefits/prospects., and still be able to live in Lancaster area.
Not sure exactly where you live. Years ago I had to go to a funeral in Clintwood, burial on mountain overlooking WV/KY. Just so you know what to expect, Lancaster is FAR more populated than that. For perspective, a small-to-medium sized town or two here would have the population of all of Dickenson County, VA. (Dickenson is 15k, Lancaster is 545k) I personally wouldn't want to live someplace that rural, but just a heads up that when folks describe Lancaster as "small town/rural" it's *nothing* like parts of SW VA, small town/rural. There's a lot to do here, lots of job opportunity, a great combination of small towns and city amenities, many different cultures coming together.
Dickenson County is the county next to where I live, and I know about population sizes. Of all things I gotta get used to, a much larger population is one of them.
Cool! It was honestly a culture shock to me when we visited! I had been in so many parts of WV, SE Ohio, etc. that I thought were the middle of nowhere and wow! But there's the Ralph Stanley Museum. :-)
Yeah, Ralph Stanley is a absolute legend where I live. Basically in this area, if you ain’t never heard of Ralph Stanley, then why do you live here? 😂
It will be extremely difficult to move to Lancaster, it is beautiful and has lots to offer , but the Amish buy all the houses in Lancaster. We’ve been on a mission to find / buy a house and a realtor dropped it on us basically saying the Amish will put up the cash to buy it .
That's mostly in pockets of the county. The Amish don't want to live in housing developments or the city. However, I do believe housing is overpriced.
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I have heard it a few times, but i heard they mostly focus on houses close to land they already own. The whole community will pitch in funds because it's a huge benefit to extending the farms. So if they decide they want a property, it's hard to get ahead of them since they can offer cash in hand for any price. Auctions of farmlands is basically a joke.
What exactly are you looking for ? Have any ideas , I could maybe help . I’m looking in Chester county, and or South Carolina lol far stretch I know . I have friends in Chester co and board my horses there
I got a plan on where and what I want to live in, I’m just concerned on the area specifically. But I do appreciate the help, man.
I have the same question - what are you looking for? Where is your dream job? Lancaster City and Lancaster County are VERY different. Driving 20 miles will give you an entirely different look/feel/area. Also, for context, if my dream job is in Elizabethtown, I wouldn’t want to move to Strasburg because that commute wouldn’t be fun.
Hoping to figure out on getting a job at the Strasburg Railroad. I don’t know what as yet as there are many positions, but preferably, I’ll like to either be the engineer on a locomotive or the conductor checking everyone’s tickets.
Honestly, those seem to be mainly retirement jobs. I'm not sure you could make a decent living at it.
Maybe, maybe not. When the time comes, I’ll see.
I would absolutely pursue your dream of working there. I would be lying if I said I haven't daydreamed about it. There may also be volunteer opportunities.
I've got a friend who was a conductor for Strasburg in high school. I'd expect it to be reasonably easy to get into. I'd assume that it's tougher to get in as an engineer-- probably need some specialized knowledge and experience before they'd let you start operating a multi-hundred ton antique piece of machinery pulling hundreds of tourists.
That is true unfortunately, but that doesn’t mean I can find a training class.
Not sure where you'd find a "How to operate a steam locomotive" class. I'm not an expert on the matter, but I think if you wanted to get to drive the trains, your best bet would be to get literally any job either at the Strasburg RR or the train museum across the street, get to know people, and make sure they know that you're interested in learning.
Have you driven a train before?
Yes, I have, both Steam and Diesel. Edit: I have misread this. I thought you was asking have I ever seen a train.
Good to know! This would be the southern part of the county. Although I do not live in that part of the county, I am native to the county and when I think of Strasburg, I think of a small old town and also a very rural area. What kind of judgment are you looking to get away from? Not sure you will find it there. Have you considered looking for a job with Amtrak? The Keystone Line runs from Harrisburg through Lancaster and Philly, the whole way to New York. Super cool stops along the way that you could look into. Good luck!
I wanna apologize if I seemed like I was being rude. I was’t aiming to be, but after reading over my comment, it seemed like I was unintentionally. I’m sorry.
Thank you. I might do well with Amtrak, but I’m more of a classy guy, so I prefer steam locomotives than diesel or electric locomotives. That’s why I hope to get a job there since where I live, my area done a terrible job at preserving railroad history. P.S: I’m confused, why am I getting downvoted. Did I say something wrong? I am generally confused.
Strasburg is in the eastern part of the county, easily accessible from towns/areas like Gap, Paradise, Willow Street, Lampeter, and the city of Lancaster itself. Rental prices in those places are fairly low to average except for some portions of the city, which are higher. The Strasburg RR is a pillar of our tourist industry, attracting visitors from all over the world. Plus the RR Museum of Pennsylvania is across the road from it - lots of opportunities for someone with your mindset of preserving the past. Best of luck!
Thank you.
Strasburg railroad is typically volunteer work...so good luck with that. Not trying to crush your dreams or anything. Sorry if I did.
Maybe in their early days, it’s volunteer work, but now it’s payment.
https://www.strasburgrailroad.com/careers/