The state of the union has not been as kind to Pennsylvania as it has to other states in the country. Several economic downturns have wreaked havoc on the state as lawmakers scramble to improve the overall situation. There are several plans in the works that look to change the problems the state has had over the past few years and a few of them are even working. Some new industries have moved into the state and that has helped to create some new jobs. The unemployment rate has stayed fairly steady over the time and remains in step with the rest of the nation. That is little comfort to the residents as they seek more jobs that are better paying and they seem to be coming and not a moment to soon either. The location of the state has helped to muster some support for the industry to come in and they have seen a definite increase in the number of companies that are looking at the area for relocation.

The cost of living remains rather high in the state and the hourly wage is doing little to help it. The overall wage remains below that of the nation. For those trying to make a living in the state there is some relief with the new companies that have come in and the existing ones are working to raise their rates to keep pace. The progress is slow but steady and the lawmakers seem happy with the way things are moving along.

The real estate market is slow in light of the economy problems in the state. There is no real pattern to how one can buy a home. New home sales are down as the construction industry is not what it once was. There are several developers eyeing the state but those will not come until there is a definite upturn in the economy.

For existing homes the sales have been steady. There are a lot of people trying to sell their homes in hopes of finding a rental that is far less expensive. There are a lot of homes available throughout the state but with the state of the economy not many people are purchasing them.