Ross Township named to Money's Best Places to Live in America list

Ross Township’s inclusion in Money’s Best Places to Live in America rankings is a confirmation of what some officials and residents have long believed.

From a field of 1,890 communities across the country, Ross is ranked 48th on the top 50 list. The other Pennsylvania town to make the list is Abington Township in Montgomery County, which was ranked 19th.

Evans, Ga., was ranked the No. 1 Best Place to Live in America on Money’s list.

“I think Ross is probably one of the biggest hidden secrets in Western Pennsylvania,” said Steve Korbel, president of the township’s board of commissioners. “We have a great town, great school district, low taxes and affordable housing.

“I think this recognition is a real tribute to the board of commissioners, the North Hills school board and members of our community for taking a very proactive role to make our town and schools better,” he said.

In its narrative about Ross, Money said it “is a great choice for families looking for an affordable neighborhood with safe streets and good schools.”

The rankings note that while homes in neighboring communities such as McCandless and Ben Avon typically cost $250,000 or more, the median home price in Ross remains less than $200,000.

Matthew C. Harvey said he and his wife, who grew up in Ross, moved back to the community after living out of the area for 13 years because of work.

“When we moved home we had a 6- and 4-year-old,” he said. “We loved our childhood years here so much that we came back to raise our kids here. I sing Ross’ praises everywhere I go.”

Commissioner Joe Laslavic said it is the residents like the Harveys that made the honor possible.

“This distinction is shared by everyone, especially the residents,” he wrote in a posting on social media. “It has been such a great pleasure to serve and work with all of you on variety of different things.

“Although we have our days that things just don’t work out the way we want, we all still have the same common goal: to make our community a great place to live and raise a family,” he said.

Commissioner Dan DeMarco agreed.

“I am proud to be a part of the leadership in Ross Township,” he said. “But many residents, businesses and nonprofit organizations engaged in working to achieve the best for our community also made this possible.”