Money.com made a list of the 50 best places to live in 2020 and two Pennsylvania towns made the list. The website ranked communities with a population of at least 25,000 and analyzed the economy, diversity, cost of living, health and safety, education, weather, entertainment options, lifestyle, and the housing market of the areas in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The two towns in PA that made the list were Abington and Ross Township. Abington Township was ranked 19th overall, while Ross Township was ranked 48th. Below are a few fast facts about each township. 

Abington Township

• Population: 56,000
• Median Income: $92,000
• Median Home Price: $292,000
• Other Notes: The area was noted for its strong school system.

Ross Township

• Population: 31,000
• Median Income: $73,000
• Median Home Price: $196,000
• Other Notes: Ross Township is located just eight miles from downtown Pittsburgh and was noted for its strong schools and affordable housing.

Evans, Georgia topped the list and was applauded for its high community involvement and low unemployment rate of 5.2%. For a look at the full list of the top 50 towns in the U.S. for 2020, check out the full article here. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted everyone in many different ways. One of the ways Americans have been impacted by the pandemic is in the realm of housing. Stannah conducted a survey of more than 1,000 people to assess how the pandemic has impacted their living situations.

The survey found that 51.6% of respondents reported that COVID-19 had impacted their living situation, with almost 30% of people moving in with family during this time period. People in their 20s were most likely to move in with family, with 40.8% of respondents claiming so. At the time of the survey, almost 90% of the respondents who moved in with family stated that they continued to remain with them.

Of those that moved in with family, 57% said it was to save money, but 47.9% said they were helping family financially, and 40.6% said they were living together to get through the pandemic. Nearly 30% of survey respondents reported moving to get out of a coronavirus hotspot. 

While most people who chose to live with family noted positive effects of their decision, many have been living with anxiety about catching the virus, a loved one catching it, or the financial impacts of the virus. Stannah found that people who didn't move in with family were the most likely to report feeling stressed most of the time. 

While the pandemic has created a lot of concerns for people, those who stayed with family during the pandemic reported stronger relationships and some positive mental health impacts. For a full look at the survey and more information, check out the full article by Stannah here.

In a survey conducted by Redfin of more than 1,000 people who are planning to buy a home in the next 12 months, three-quarters say the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their home buying plans and one-quarter have said the pandemic caused them to move or speed up their moving timeline. 

According to Redfin, sixteen percent of respondents said the pandemic has caused them to want to move and 15% said it has cause them to move sooner than originally planned. Because respondents were able to choose more than one impact, when accounting for homebuyers who chose one or both of the aforementioned options, a total of 25% of respondents reported that the coronavirus pandemic has caused them to want to move or speed up their moving timeline. On the other hand, 20% of respondents noted that the pandemic caused them to delay their plans and 17% stated that they are now looking for a less expensive home. 

What are the driving forces for people who are moving for pandemic-related causes? 55% of those who said the pandemic is causing them to more or move sooner said low mortgage rates are a factor in their changed plans. Fifty-two percent said spending more time at home is a factor, while 40% said working from home is part of their desire to move. 

When Redfin's survey was fielded, the average 30-year mortgage-interest rate was 2.98%, which was the lowest in history until that. time. Despite high unemployment and a shaky economy, the large amount of Americans looking to move as a result of the pandemic is one factor in why the housing market is doing so well. Those who are delaying plans to move, meanwhile, are most impacted by economics, which 45% of those respondents stating financial worries as a factor in why they decided to change their plans. 

For more information about the study and how homebuyers plans have been impacted by COVID-19, see the full article by Redfin here.