Should you retire in Pennsylvania?

According to one report, 34 of America’s founding fathers are buried in Pennsylvania. It was clearly a popular retirement spot at the time. If you’re thinking about moving for retirement, you might want to follow in their footsteps and retire to Pennsylvania — either near Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or somewhere in between.

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Bankrate named Pennsylvania the seventh best state in which to retire. What’s so good about it? Well, like many states, it abounds in natural beauty and offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation – for hiking, biking, camping, skiing, golfing and more. It also offers cities, with countless cultural and sports offers. (Go Steelers! Go Phillies!)

Health care costs and affordability are important considerations for retirees, and Pennsylvania scores pretty well on this measure, ranked the 22nd best state in the country for health care for seniors by MedicareGuide.com. Taxes are also important. Pennsylvania is one of 41 states that does not tax Social Security benefits. In fact, it doesn’t tax any retirement income — not pension income, not withdrawals from 401(k) and IRA accounts, nothing. The state also has no estate tax, although it does have an inheritance tax.

The weather will be a draw for many retirees, with a less hot climate than Florida or Arizona, although it can get quite hot or cold at times. The cost of living should also be a plus, approaching the national average. (Move to parts of Pennsylvania from an expensive region like Boston or Seattle, and you’ll feel a real difference.) Housing costs are particularly low. The average home price in Pennsylvania was recently just $271,911 — about 75 percent of the national average. However, car insurance costs an average of $2,532 annually, $485 below the average.

If Pennsylvania sounds intriguing, dig into it a little and maybe try living there for a few months to see if it’s a good fit for your retirement plan.