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Best Overall Cities in Pennsylvania

4 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in Pennsylvania

  1. #1
    C

    Lancaster

    Best Overall Cities score 65 · MoveScore 65

  2. #2
    C

    Pittsburgh

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  3. #3
    C

    Philadelphia

    Best Overall Cities score 62 · MoveScore 62

  4. #4
    C

    Erie

    Best Overall Cities score 61 · MoveScore 61

Other Pennsylvania Rankings

Best for Safety in Pennsylvania

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in Pennsylvania

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in Pennsylvania

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools in Pennsylvania

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in Pennsylvania

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in Pennsylvania

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in Pennsylvania ranks highest for best overall cities?

Lancaster, PA ranks #1 in Pennsylvania for best overall cities with a sub-score of 65/100 (MoveScore 65, grade C).

How many cities in Pennsylvania are compared?

4 Pennsylvania cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

Pennsylvania-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.