Best & worst states: what is Pennsylvania No. 1 at?

Photo byJoshua SukoffonUnsplash

Pennsylvania is the state we all love and cherish. But in a purely patriotic manner, let's compare Pennsylvania with the other states and see where we excel and where we still have to work.

With that said, it is obvious that Pennsylvania is a great U.S. power. These are the areas where Pennsylvania stands out in front of other states.

Best at: hunting

Pennsylvania had a much higher hunter density than the others. After crunching the numbers it is clear why. Pennsylvania leads the country with an average of over 20 hunters per square mile (PSM).

For comparison, other popular whitetail destinations like Michigan, Iowa and Texas only have 6.7, 4.5 and 4.4 hunters PSM, respectively. In fact, Pennsylvania has a higher hunter density than those three states combined.

I based this analysis on statistics from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation.Photo by(Antonio Alvaro/Unsplash)

Worst at: gas taxes

In addition to the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gasoline tax, the states also tax gasoline at varying rates. Some states have sales and/or use taxes added to gasoline excise taxes while others have inspection fees, environmental fees, leaking underground storage tank taxes, etc.

The Energy Information Administration has compiled gasoline excise taxes, along with other state taxes and fees, to arrive at an estimate of the amount of state taxes consumers are paying per gallon.

According to these estimates, Pennsylvania currently has the highest per gallon tax rate for gasoline; the Pennsylvania rate includes the Oil Company Franchise Tax, a variable rate tax adjusted annually, and the Underground Storage Tank Indemnification Fund fee. Alaska, with a 9-cent gasoline tax rate, has by far the lowest gasoline tax rate of any state.

Best at: cheesesteak sandwich

Debate raged about the best maker of the Philadelphia delicacy, but the sandwich is popular enough to be made all across the country.

Worst at: education funding gap

A study of the nation’s growing funding inequalities between wealthy and low-income school districts, found that Pennsylvania has one of the worst funding gaps in the nation.A research report by the Education Trust, an independent national education policy organization, found that when adjusting for the additional needs of low-income students, the highest poverty districts in Pennsylvania receive $2,491, or 17%, less per student than districts with the lowest poverty.

Every child deserves access to a quality education and that will only happen if we close this funding gap and if we properly fund public education. said Dr. Joan Duvall-Flynn, Education Committee Chair for the Pennsylvania NAACP.

Bonus: facts about Pennsylvania

1. Pennsylvania is the first state of the fifty United States to list their web site URL on a license plate.
2. In 1909 the first baseball stadium was built in Pittsburgh.
3. Hershey is considered the Chocolate Capital of the United States.
4. In 1913 the first automobile service station opened in Pittsburgh.
5. In 1946 Philadelphia became home to the first computer.
6. The first daily newspaper was published in Philadelphia on Sept. 21, 1784.
7. Philadelphia is the site of the first presidential mansion.
8. Kennett Square is known as the Mushroom Capital of the World.
9. KDKA radio in Pittsburgh produced the first commercial radio broadcast.
10. Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania
• https://www.deerassociation.com/hunter-density-across-u-s/
• https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1035-june-25-2018-pennsylvania-has-highest-state-gasoline-taxes
• https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/09/26/best-worst-thing-every-state/37857241/
• https://www.pubintlaw.org/cases-and-projects/national-study-finds-pennsylvanias-education-funding-gap-among-nations-worst-calls-disparity-devastatingly-large/
• https://www.50states.com/facts/pennsylvania.htm