I grew up in Pa.. and still have many relatives that live there . As with most states there are nice places and some depressing ones . Since you are thinking of relocating and also looking for a warmer climate for the winter why do you not just look at the Carolina's or Tennessee and kill two birds with one stone .
We picked the Laurel Highlands area, SE of Pittsburgh, about 65 miles. A very small town. I worked in Baltimore, DW worked near Baltimore. We have no desire to deal with any medium or high density population areas ever again.
I had a home in the Laurel Highlands area for about three years, about 25 mi north of Johnstown.
Summers, however, are another story - really pleasant. I didn't have air conditioning in my house and didn't really need it. I used to love going to Prince Gallitzin State Park and boating on the lake. Just taking a short walk in the hills was really pleasant.
Three words: Iron City beer.
I grew up in Murrysville, left "forever" in 1978, and returned briefly in 1988 & 2007. The only ties are high school reunions and our kid's tour of Carnegie-Mellon University. I keep in touch with classmates.
The impressions I've formed over those 40+ years are:
- Not only are winters cold, but it's a mean lake-effect cold. In some months it's not uncommon to shovel the driveway 2-3x/week. But maybe global warming will work in your favor here.
- Frost heave and winterizing.
- In 1976-7 the Ohio River froze and Duquesne Power started the "coal death watch"-- how many days of coal-burning electricity they had left before the plant would shut down or the river would let a barge through. But maybe the grid is more robust now.
- Does KDKA Pittsburgh still have the "Rhinestone Pothole" contest for the biggest & nastiest one? Eh, I guess Jack Bogut is long gone.
- Deer are pests. A classmate has turned her garden into a fenced/roofed enclosure and is still getting raided. Every neighbor has a car/deer story, usually with a sad ending for both sides.
- Summer mosquitos, especially at PG State Park.
- I used to think PA politics were corrupt until I lived in Maryland, Chicago, and Hawaii. But PA still takes honorable mention.
My major complaint would be that it's too freakin' humid, too cold in winter, too hot in summer, and too twisty/hilly for snowy/icy driving. But as Brewer has mentioned the "good" side is that the state is made up of bezillions of microclimates and smaller neighborhoods. You may find your niche somewhere.
As others have mentioned, look at the total tax picture. The taxes you don't see are more than counterbalanced by the taxes you don't expect.