America at 250: Pennsylvania Uncovered — 20 Facts About the Keystone State, Where the Declaration of Independence Was Signed

America at 250: Pennsylvania Uncovered — 20 Facts About the Keystone State, Where the Declaration of Independence Was Signed

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, a state-by-state journey — from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell to Gettysburg, Amish country, Hershey chocolate and Pittsburgh steel — through the numbers, the history and the emergency lifelines every traveler should carry.

As the United States marks the landmark 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 — its semiquincentennial — no state has a stronger claim on the celebration than Pennsylvania. It was in Philadelphia, at Independence Hall, that the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776 and the U.S. Constitution was written in 1787. The Liberty Bell still rings in the American imagination from the very city where the nation was born. In 2026, the 250th, Pennsylvania is the beating heart of the story.

Nicknamed the “Keystone State” for its central place among the original colonies, Pennsylvania blends founding history with industrial might and rural beauty. What follows is a fact-checked portrait drawn from official sources — the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, state agencies and federal registries — followed by the safety information every visitor to the Keystone State should keep close at hand.

How Big Is Pennsylvania? About 13 Million People Across 46,054 Square Miles

Pennsylvania is one of the most populous states. The U.S. Census Bureau put its population at about 13,078,751 in 2024, ranking it the fifth most populous state, spread across roughly 46,054 square miles of forested mountains, fertile valleys and industrial river cities.

The state is anchored by two great metropolitan regions at opposite ends: Philadelphia in the southeast — the sixth-largest city in the United States and the cradle of the nation — and Pittsburgh in the southwest. The capital is Harrisburg, and other centers include Allentown, Erie, Scranton and the college and Amish country in between. Much of the state is rural, mountainous “Pennsylvania Dutch” and Appalachian country.

Pennsylvania’s geography runs from the Atlantic coastal plain near Philadelphia across the ridges and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains to the shore of Lake Erie in the northwest. The Susquehanna, Delaware and Ohio river systems have shaped its settlement and industry, and its central location gave it its enduring “Keystone” nickname.

The Birthplace of the Nation: The 2nd State (1787), Founded in 1681

Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 by William Penn as a Quaker colony committed to religious tolerance and fair dealing with Native peoples — a “holy experiment” that made Philadelphia a haven for diverse faiths and immigrants. That spirit of liberty made the colony the natural setting for revolution.

Philadelphia hosted the First and Second Continental Congresses; the Declaration of Independence was adopted there on July 4, 1776; and the U.S. Constitution was drafted there in 1787. Pennsylvania ratified the Constitution to become the 2nd state on December 12, 1787, and Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital through the 1790s. In 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg — the bloodiest battle of the Civil War and its turning point — was fought on Pennsylvania soil, where Lincoln later delivered the Gettysburg Address. Later, Pennsylvania’s coal, steel and oil (the world’s first oil well was drilled at Titusville in 1859) powered America’s industrial rise.

The Economy: About $1 Trillion GDP From Steel to Medicine

Pennsylvania’s economy, with a GDP of roughly $1 trillion (about $818 billion in inflation-adjusted terms), is one of the largest of any state. Once the capital of American steel and coal, Pennsylvania has reinvented itself: Pittsburgh transformed from “Steel City” into a hub of health care, robotics, education and technology, anchored by Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh.

Today the state’s economy is led by health care and “eds and meds” (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are major medical and research centers), finance, advanced manufacturing, agriculture (Pennsylvania is a top producer of mushrooms, dairy and — famously — chocolate, at Hershey), and energy: the state sits atop the vast Marcellus Shale and is a leading producer of natural gas. Its ports, rivers and central location make it a logistics powerhouse.

Schools and Universities: About 1.7 Million Pupils and Penn State

Pennsylvania’s public schools enroll roughly 1.7 million K-12 students across a large and varied system, from big-city districts to rural and Amish communities (many Amish children attend one-room schoolhouses through the eighth grade).

In higher education, Pennsylvania is a powerhouse. The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia is an Ivy League university; Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh is a world leader in computer science and robotics; and Penn State is a massive public research university with a beloved football program. Temple, Drexel, the University of Pittsburgh and a host of respected liberal-arts colleges round out one of the densest higher-education landscapes in the country.

Hospitals and Health Care: More Than 200 Hospitals

Pennsylvania has more than 200 hospitals, and health care is one of its largest industries. World-renowned systems include the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP, among the best pediatric hospitals in the world), the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC, one of the largest health systems in the nation), and Geisinger, a national model for rural health care.

This concentration of “eds and meds” makes Pennsylvania a global center for medicine and biomedical research. The Pennsylvania Department of Health coordinates statewide public-health services across its big cities, suburbs and rural Appalachian communities.

Getting Around: Major Airports and a Historic Turnpike

Pennsylvania’s main airports are Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), a major East Coast hub, and Pittsburgh International (PIT), along with regional airports serving other cities. The state has an extensive network of public-use airfields.

On the ground, the Pennsylvania Turnpike — opened in 1940 as America’s first long-distance superhighway — pioneered the modern toll road, and Interstates 76, 78, 79, 80, 81 and 95 crisscross the state. Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor runs through Philadelphia, and the state’s rivers and Lake Erie port at Erie support shipping.

Culture: Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and Cheesesteaks

Pennsylvania’s cultural crown jewel is Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia — home to Independence Hall (a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Declaration and Constitution were signed) and the Liberty Bell, among the most sacred sites in American history. Philadelphia also boasts world-class museums (the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous “Rocky Steps”), the first hospital and library in the nation, and iconic foods like the cheesesteak and the soft pretzel.

Beyond Philadelphia, the state offers Gettysburg’s hallowed battlefield, the Amish country of Lancaster County (Pennsylvania Dutch culture, quilts and shoofly pie), the chocolate town of Hershey, the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. Pennsylvania’s cultural depth spans the founding to the present.

Sport and the Outdoors: 7 Major Pro Teams and the Poconos

Pennsylvania is a passionate sports state, home to around seven major professional franchises: the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL, both Super Bowl champions), the Phillies and Pirates (MLB), the 76ers (NBA), and the Flyers and Penguins (NHL). College football, led by Penn State, and one of the nation’s great sports rivalries between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh fans, define the culture.

Outdoors, Pennsylvania offers the Pocono and Allegheny mountains for hiking, skiing and fishing, vast state forests and game lands (the state has a deep hunting tradition), the Delaware Water Gap, and the Laurel Highlands, home to Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece Fallingwater. Rivers, trails and forests cover much of the state.

Faith and Places of Worship: Thousands of Congregations

Founded on religious tolerance, Pennsylvania remains one of the most religiously varied states. Roman Catholicism is the largest single tradition, reflecting Irish, Italian, Polish and other immigration, alongside a wide range of Protestant denominations and the distinctive “Plain” communities — the Amish and Mennonites of Lancaster County, among the largest such populations in the world — as well as growing Jewish, Muslim and other communities in the cities.

Because no single official registry counts every congregation, the closest reliable measures come from religious censuses and the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data on religious organizations, which together point to many thousands of congregations statewide.

The Justice System: About 36,000 People Incarcerated

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections holds roughly 36,000 people, a population that has declined over the past decade as the state closed several prisons. Pennsylvania operates around two dozen state correctional institutions, while its 67 counties run their own jails.

Pennsylvania has pursued sentencing and reentry reforms, and — though it retains the death penalty on the books — a governor’s moratorium has meant no executions have been carried out in decades. Reducing recidivism and the costs of incarceration remain priorities.

5 Pennsylvania Laws and Distinctions That Set It Apart

Pennsylvania’s founding role and traditions give it several distinctive features:

1. Birthplace of the republic: Independence Hall in Philadelphia is where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed — a distinction no other state can claim.

2. State-controlled liquor: Pennsylvania is one of the “control states,” selling wine and spirits primarily through state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores — a system that surprises many visitors.

3. A Commonwealth: Pennsylvania is officially one of four U.S. states styled a “commonwealth” rather than a state.

4. Flat income tax: Pennsylvania’s constitution requires uniform taxation, giving it a flat state income tax rather than a graduated one.

5. The ultimate swing state: With its huge, closely divided electorate, Pennsylvania has become perhaps the single most pivotal battleground in modern presidential elections.

Famous Pennsylvanians: World-Changing Talent From the Keystone State

Pennsylvania has produced or adopted an extraordinary roster of figures. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin made Philadelphia his home, and President Joe Biden, the 46th president, was born in Scranton. In entertainment, the state gave the world pop superstar Taylor Swift (West Reading), actors Will Smith, Kevin Hart and Tina Fey, and basketball legends Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain (all with Philadelphia roots).

The state is also tied to seamstress Betsy Ross, said to have sewn the first American flag in Philadelphia, and to industrial titans like Andrew Carnegie, whose steel built modern America and whose philanthropy funded libraries nationwide. From the founding to pop culture, Pennsylvania’s influence is immense.

Who Runs Pennsylvania? Governor Josh Shapiro and State Leadership

Pennsylvania’s executive branch is led by Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who became the 48th governor in 2023 after serving as the state’s attorney general. Shapiro has focused on the economy, education funding, public safety and cutting government red tape, and he has become a nationally prominent figure.

Pennsylvania’s government features several independently elected statewide officials alongside the Governor, plus appointed cabinet secretaries. Key members of state leadership include:

As listed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Office of the Governor (pa.gov/governor), key members of state leadership include:

Source: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Office of the Governor (pa.gov/governor). Several statewide officials are independently elected; cabinet secretaries are appointed. Officeholders change over time.

Traveling to Pennsylvania? 1 App for Every Emergency Number

Whether you are exploring Pennsylvania during this 250th-anniversary year, following its history, or simply passing through, one piece of preparation matters more than any other: knowing who to call in an emergency. The free InfoCons app puts that information in your pocket. Its dedicated SOS section gathers the essential emergency and consumer-protection numbers for the United States and for the individual states, so travelers and residents alike can reach the right service instantly — without searching, without roaming confusion, and without wasting the precious minutes that matter most in a crisis.

Nationwide Emergency Numbers (as listed in the InfoCons app)

Across the United States, the single universal emergency number is 911, which connects callers to police, firefighters, and ambulance services alike. For non-emergency municipal services and information in many cities, 311 is available. The app also lists 1-800-342-3377 for telecommunications complaints and 202-326-2180 for consumer-protection matters at the federal level.

Pennsylvania Emergency and Assistance Numbers (as listed in the InfoCons app)

For Pennsylvania specifically, the InfoCons SOS section provides a detailed directory. The core lifelines are:

Police, Ambulance, and Firefighters: 911. State Police: 1-866-771-3170. Road conditions: 800-331-3414. Electricity emergency: 800-276-2722. Gas emergency: 1-800-400-4271.

Consumer protection: Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Protection: 1-800-441-2555 and 717-787-3391. Identity theft: 1-877-438-4338. Department of Banking and Securities: 1-800-722-2657. Insurance Department: 1-877-881-6388. Public Utility Commission: 1-800-692-7380.

Support: Child abuse reporting (ChildLine): 1-800-932-0313. Domestic violence and sexual assault hotline: 800-656-4673. Animal protection: 866-601-7722. (The nationwide Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached at any time by dialing 988.)

These numbers are provided for convenience and may change over time; in any life-threatening situation, always dial 911 first.

The InfoCons Travel Passport: 1 App, 33 Languages, Every Destination

The InfoCons app is more than an emergency directory — it is designed to function as a genuine “travel passport” for the modern consumer. Available free of charge and offered in 33 internationally spoken languages, it gives users access to accurate, transparent, and independent information wherever they go. For a traveler moving between states — or between countries — that means the emergency numbers, consumer-protection contacts, and practical guidance for each destination are all gathered in a single place, ready before you even land.

The idea is simple but powerful: your safety information should travel with you as reliably as your passport does. Whether you are exploring Pennsylvania during this 250th-anniversary year or planning a trip abroad next month, the InfoCons app aims to be the first thing you check when you arrive somewhere new — helping you make informed decisions, protect your rights as a consumer, and know exactly whom to call if something goes wrong. Download the free InfoCons app and let your phone become your travel passport for a safer, smarter 250th-anniversary year and beyond.

A Fitting Way to Celebrate 250 Years of Independence

Pennsylvania’s story — of William Penn’s holy experiment and the signing of the Declaration at Independence Hall, of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address, of steel and coal and the reinvention of Pittsburgh, of the Liberty Bell and the cheesesteak — is, more than almost any other state’s, the story of America’s birth and growth. In 2026, as the nation marks 250 years of independence, all roads lead back to Philadelphia.

To visit Pennsylvania is to stand in the very room where the United States was declared and designed. And to visit it prepared — with the InfoCons app and its emergency lifelines close at hand — is simply to travel wisely. Here is to the next 250 years — happy semiquincentennial, America.

InfoCons Communication Department