INCOME: It’s no surprise to folks who live here, but rural Pennsylvania’s counties have the lowest per capita income in the state.

A study by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania showed that in 2022, the statewide per capita income was $64,506. Not so in the rural counties.

The report says Potter County has the lowest of the four local counties, with a per capita income of $48,379. McKean County is next with $48,797. Elk County is at $50,208, and Cameron County is at $50,557.

The highest income areas are around Pennsylvania’s cities. The counties north of Philadelphia show some of the highest in the state, with Delaware County at $78,228, Bucks at $86,770, Montgomery at $93,666, and Chester at $101,051.

Allegheny County is at $70,837. The rest are under the $70,000 mark, with the majority falling between $50,000 and $69,999.

The data came from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

LOOK: Yes there are local places to shop!

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania offered a look at retail establishments in each county across the state, though the numbers are per 100,000 residents. The state average was 312.3 as of the second quarter of 2023.

Three local counties came in above the state average, with McKean County, at 343.7, Elk County at 334.7 and Potter County at 357.6. Cameron County came in lower, at 294.3.

Warren County came in with 288.3, which was surprising to us, as it seems quite similar to McKean County in our estimation.

The lowest was in Forest County, which has no stop light by the way, with 196.2. Interesting.