HARRISBURG, Pa. — Rural Pennsylvania is seeing a housing boom, according to an analysis by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. From 2019 to 2020, the state saw a 6 percent drop in urban home sales and a 7 percent increase in rural home sales.
Post-pandemic consumers have developed a new preference for more space, both indoor and outdoor.
“The buyers [who] are stuck at home realize, ‘Wow, this is not the home for me. Looks like I’m going to be working remotely or I can be anywhere at work now, so I want to be in a comfortable housing situation,’” said Adrian Smith, president of the Greater Harrisburg Association of Realtors.
Many of the buyers of homes in rural counties come from more urban counties with higher COVID rates, according to the Center for Rural Pennsylvania’s analysis.
Developers are working to catch home supply up to demand, with projects underway throughout the state.
“You’re starting to see a lot of new construction coming back to life again,” Smith said.
But some locals aren’t keen to welcome lots of new neighbors.
Lewis Silverman has lived in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County since 1992. He said recent development has significantly increased traffic.
“I was born and raised in New York City and I wanted to get away from that. I wanted something that was a little more slow paced and less congested,” Silverman said. “It’s like an acid flashback to being in New York City again.”
Silverman wasn’t pleased about a large development project under construction in his area: Susquehanna Union Green. The planned pedestrian-oriented town center will include a mix of businesses and residential properties, including 40 new homes and 200 new senior living apartments.
Lower Paxton Township resident Tonya Abel said she also has some concerns about traffic once the development is complete, but looks forward to living near a new community.
“I don’t have a problem with them. The more people the better around here,” Abel said.
It’s not yet clear whether the rural housing boom is merely a short-term reaction to the pandemic or a trend here to stay, according to Center for Rural Pennsylvania director Kyle C. Kopko.