10 Best Independent Living Communities in Harrisburg, PA

Learn More About Independent Living in Harrisburg, PA

Situated along the Susquehanna River in South Central Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is the commonwealth’s capital city with a history rooted in steel and railroad. Harrisburg has retained its strength over the decades with a robust economy and steady influx of new residents.

Independent living communities — also known simply as retirement communities — in Harrisburg are geared towards seniors who are able to live on their own, without daily assistance, and prefer to live among people their age. This usually means residents are self-sufficient and do not require hands-on care. Think of Harrisburg retirement communities as age-restricted (typically 55+) complexes, which provide organized activities, meal services, and transportation.

Cost of Independent Living in Harrisburg, PA

The median monthly cost of independent living in Harrisburg is about $2,400 in the city proper and $2,500 within the metropolitan area. The median monthly cost of independent living in the state of Pennsylvania is around $2,600.

Learn More About Harrisburg, PA

Cost of Living

The total household expenses associated with living in Harrisburg are rated 20 points below the national average. Grocery and other essential costs are also rated substantially below average.

Index Scores

All index scores are based on a scale that has the national average set at 100. A score of 200 indicates that the cost is twice as expensive as the national average, while a score of 50 indicates that the cost is half as expensive.

Household Expenses	Health Care	Insurance	Entertainment	Grocery	Clothing
80	70	74	81	77	80

Income and Housing

Median income age 45-64	Median income age 65+	Median household income	Average individual income	Median employee salary	Average property tax	One-bedroom apartment gross rent estimate
$36,711 per year	$29,209 per year	$34,384 per year	$20,746 per year	$48,863 per year	$2,406 per year	$737 per month

Local Hospitals

The top hospitals that service Harrisburg, PA include:

Geisinger Holy Spirit

• Facility type: nonprofit, short-term acute care
• Bed count: 300+
• Specialties: emergency department, ICU, spine surgery

UPMC Pinnacle Harrisburg

• Facility type: corporate, short-term acute care
• Bed count: 490+
• Specialties: emergency department, inpatient surgery, ICU

Weather and Climate

In a transitional zone between a humid subtropical and humid continental climate, Harrisburg experiences four distinct seasons, including hot summers, cold winters, and pleasant springs and falls with moderate temperatures. Severe thunderstorms during summers are common, as are winter storms with snowfall. Harrisburg sees plenty of precipitation throughout the year, though July typically receives the most. The city’s average humidity level is 64%, and humidity levels are often highest during September at about 70%.

Seasonal Temperatures

January Average	January Maximum	January Minimum
30.3°F	37.5°F	23.1°F

July Average	July Maximum	July Minimum
75.9°F	85.7°F	66°F

Air Quality

• Relative Air Quality Index: 102

This index is based on a scale that has the national average set at 100. A score of 200 indicates twice the presence of air pollutants than the national average, while a score of 50 indicates half the presence.

Precipitation

• Average Annual Precipitation: 41.5″

Demographics and Values

Population Statistics

Median age	Percent of population over 65	Population	Population Density	Average Household Size
35.5	10.1%	49,915	6,139.7 per square mile	2.3

Race & Ethnicity

American Indian or Alaskan Native	Asian	Black	Hispanic or Latino	Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	White (not Hispanic or Latino)
0.4%	5.4%	51.8%	21.8%	<0.1%	3.9%	22.6%

These figures were taken from the most recent U.S. Census.

LGBTQ+ Inclusivity

These scores were taken from the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index.

• Non-discrimination laws in Harrisburg, PA: 30/30
• Overall inclusivity: 69/100

2016 Presidential Election

Democratic	Republican	Other
49.44%	46.51%	4.05%

Arts, Culture, Entertainment, and Recreation

Situated along the Susquehanna River in South Central Pennsylvania, Harrisburg is the commonwealth’s capital city with a history rooted in steel, the railroad, and other key trades of the Industrial Revolution. While it’s often upstaged by Pennsylvania’s major metro areas to the east and west, Harrisburg has remained steady over the decades and continues to be a top-ranked destination for families — largely thanks to a robust economy held up by government employers and multinational companies like Hershey.

Downtown Harrisburg is the heart of the city, home to popular sites like the Pennsylvania State Capitol, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, the shopping complex Strawberry Square, the Susquehanna Art Museum, and the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts. A couple miles east of downtown in Reservoir Park is the National Civil War Museum, where galleries and exhibits tell the entire history of the “War Between the States” through countless artifacts, photographs, and dioramas.

Given the natural beauty of the Susquehanna Valley, Harrisburg has no shortage of outdoor recreational activities. City Island sits in the middle of the Susquehanna River near downtown Harrisburg and features a sports complex, an old-fashioned miniature railroad and carousel, a steamboat, and other attractions for all ages. In Harrisburg’s Uptown neighborhood, the Japanese bridge and Renaissance-inspired gardens surrounding Italian Lake draw in photographers, concertgoers, and wedding parties during the city’s warmer months. On the north end of town, the expansive Wildwood Park covers more than 200 acres and includes a nature center, a large lake, miles of trails, and raised boardwalks through forests and fields.

Transportation

Transportation in Harrisburg is available via Capital Area Transit (CAT), the public transit system serving Harrisburg and surrounding cities. CAT offers bus routes with stops throughout the city, along with special services for seniors such as a Senior Free Fare Program, Paratransit, a Senior Shared Ride program, and a Persons with Disabilities (PWD) program for door-to-door transportation.