Small towns paying people to put down roots in Mercer County
A few small towns in Western Pennsylvania are paying certain people willing to pack up their lives and put down roots in the area.
Mercer County is thinking outside the box to grow its population and economy.
"We've been losing population for decades now, and it's caused a significant strain on our local economy," said Jake Rickert, associate executive director of Penn-Northwest Development Corporation.
Rickert said officials started a campaign to promote Mercer County on a national platform. It all began when they found Make My Move. The online relocation marketplace describes the county as "nestled in western Pennsylvania, it's where scenic beauty meets small-town charm, offering a warm, welcoming community from day one."
Rickert said Hermitage, Sharon and Greenville built incentive packages for people to apply for.
"When they move here, not only are they relocating, but they're getting ingrained in our community, getting to meet local leaders, getting to see local businesses, local restaurants," he said.
Hermitage and Sharon are offering $5,000 cash and other big incentives, like a free six-month gym membership, access to the local driving range, passes to the area's family fun center, and more.
"The $5,000 can help towards closing costs, getting yourself relocated here," Rickert said.
Greenville isn't offering cash, but is providing gift cards and memberships for the selected residents.
"Greenville's doing things more about their community business. So, all their incentives are really focused on meeting all the businesses on Main Street, some of our staple restaurants," Rickert said.
There are a few parameters. Applicants must work remotely, currently live at least 100 miles away and stay in the town for at least two years.
Rickert said families will be able to stretch their dollars.
"We have a very low cost of living. Our average house price in Mercer County is $150,000," he said.
The campaign has only been up for about a month, and they already have 157 applicants.
"That's averaging a family size of about two and a half people. So, when you look at last year, Mercer County lost about 370 people. If we could move every applicant here, that would actually match our population loss," said Rickert.
"By adding people to our economy, we can support our schools, we can support our businesses, we can fill local jobs," he added.
To start, officials plan to accept applications for five families. Two have been chosen so far. Rickert said one's moving from San Diego, and the other is from Arizona.
"We're getting families all across the U.S. interested in that rural life," Rickert said.
He said people won't regret calling Mercer County home.
"If you enjoy your parks, your trails, your hiking, your fishing, your hunting, this is the perfect spot for you. So, if you're looking for a low-cost, well-connected community with a lot of outdoor rec, I couldn't name a better place," he said.
People can still apply for the relocation opportunity. Rickert said if things go well during the pilot period, they'd like to accept a larger number of applications in the future, and they'll be able to advocate for more money to go towards this program if more people apply.
Other Mercer County towns interested in joining this relocation recruitment campaign on Make My Move can reach out to Penn-Northwest Development Corporation, and they'll help them get started and build their own incentive packages.
