History of Pennsylvania - Service State: 1975-present

Service State: 1975-present

Beginning in the late 1970s, Pennsylvania began to turn around and make a recovery. At every new census, the state grew faster than in the previous ten years. Many new immigrants, especially from Asia and Latin America, have arrived. Dirty, lifeless towns have become vibrant, growing places. Slum areas have been gentrified. Jobs and companies have begun transferring their headquarters to the state, and Pennsylvania has one of the best economies in the nation.

With the end of mining and the downturn of manufacturing, the state has turned to service industries. Pittsburgh's concentration of universities has enabled it to be a leader in technology and healthcare. Similarly, Philadelphia has a concentration of university expertise, and has had growth. Healthcare, retail, transportation, and tourism are some of the state's growing industries of the postindustrial era. As in the rest of the nation, most residential population growth has occurred in suburban rather than central city areas, although both major cities have had significant revitalization in their downtown areas.