Loading...
Overall Rating: 89/100 · 700,000 veterans (5.5% of population)
Reviewed 2026. Programs and exemptions verified against Pennsylvania veterans-affairs and tax-authority sources.
Benefit details verified January 2025. Tax exemptions, caps, and eligibility change and can vary by county — always confirm current figures with your county assessor and your Pennsylvania Department of Veterans Affairs before you rely on them.
100% exempt from state income tax
1.8% average effective rate
Full exemption (need-based)
100% P&T + wartime service: full exemption; presumed eligible if income ≤ ~$114,637, above that must prove need. Nothing below 100% P&T.
Source ↗No veteran-specific exemptions
$181,700
VA Medical Center
3900 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 823-5800
Full service, spinal cord injury center, polytrauma unit, prosthetics
VA Medical Center
University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240
(412) 688-6000
Full service, geriatrics, PTSD programs, prosthetics
VA Medical Center
2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard, Altoona, PA 16602
(814) 943-8164
Primary care, mental health, surgery, specialty clinics
VA Medical Center
135 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16504
(814) 868-8661
Primary care, mental health, specialty care, surgery
VA Medical Center
1700 South Lincoln Avenue, Lebanon, PA 17042
(717) 272-6621
Primary care, mental health, specialty care, surgery
VA Medical Center
1111 East End Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
(570) 824-3521
Primary care, mental health, surgery, substance abuse treatment
Tuition waiver
All veterans using VA education benefits receive in-state tuition
Education grant
Children of PA POW/MIA service members
4-year value: $4,800
Median Home
$210,000
1BR Rent
$1,000/mo
COL Index
92
Unemployment
3%
Major employers: UPMC, VA Pittsburgh, Boeing, Carnegie Mellon, PNC Financial
Pros: #14 nationally for veterans, affordable housing, strong job market
Cons: 3% local income tax, cold winters, VA quality ratings improving
Median Home
$190,000
1BR Rent
$950/mo
COL Index
88
Unemployment
2.8%
Major employers: State government, Hershey Company, defense contractors
Pros: Most affordable major PA city, state jobs with veteran preference
Cons: Smaller job market, VA facility 25 min away
Median Home
$250,000
1BR Rent
$1,400/mo
COL Index
110
Unemployment
3.3%
Major employers: Comcast, Penn Medicine, VA Medical Center, Boeing Rotorcraft
Pros: Most job opportunities, excellent VA healthcare, culture
Cons: High local income tax (3.79%), high cost of living
Most veterans considering Pennsylvania for relocation pair this with one of these next steps:
Compare side-by-side
Stack Pennsylvania against the other 49 states on tax breaks, healthcare, and employment preferences.
Don't skip
State property tax exemptions kick in at specific rating tiers. Get your rating before you relocate.
Quick calculator
Determines which Pennsylvania property tax tier you qualify for. 30 seconds.
Buying a home
$0 down, no PMI. Funding fee waived for service-connected veterans.
Sign up for free to use the interactive comparison tool, personalized savings calculator, and moving cost estimator.
Veterans who pass a Commonwealth civil service appointment exam have 10 points added to their final score; spouses and surviving spouses of veterans rated permanently and totally disabled by the VA receive the same 10-point preference. (Preference does not apply to promotions.)
Official source ↗Resident wartime veterans with a 100% service-connected disability (or loss/loss-of-use of a limb, or medically certified totally disabled) qualify for free hunting and fishing licenses; veterans rated 60-99% for war-incurred injuries may buy reduced-fee licenses.
Official source ↗Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating receive free admission to Pennsylvania state parks and discounted camping rates.
Official source ↗PennDOT offers a veteran designation on a driver's license or ID card for honorably discharged veterans; apply with a completed Veteran Designation form (form DL-54B) and proof of service.
Official source ↗PennDOT issues a Disabled Veteran (DV) plate ($11) for veterans with a certified service-connected disability, and a Severely Disabled Veteran (SDV) plate with the wheelchair symbol for 100% service-connected disabled veterans, which grants accessible parking privileges.
Official source ↗The PA DMVA operates six veterans' homes, including Hollidaysburg, Scranton, Erie, Pittsburgh, Spring City (Southeastern), and the Delaware Valley home in Philadelphia. Open to honorably discharged veterans, and their spouses or surviving spouses, who are Pennsylvania residents or had PA as their home of record at entry.
Official source ↗The unremarried surviving spouse of a veteran who was 100% service-connected disabled (or died of service-connected causes) may receive a full real estate tax exemption on the primary residence, covering county, municipal, and school taxes, as long as they remain in the home and do not remarry.
Official source ↗Sourced from official state agencies; programs and eligibility change — confirm with your Pennsylvania Department of Veterans Affairs before applying.