At a glance: Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is the fifth most populous state in the U.S., with 12,961,683 residents across its 46,055 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state ranked No. 17 for business in 2024 by CNBC. Pennsylvania is home to key economic industries including manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, energy production, and professional services. Energy Pennsylvania ranks No. 2 among states for energy production, driven by natural gas, coal, and nuclear power, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The state ranks No. 25 for energy consumption, with natural gas, motor gasoline, and nuclear power as the leading sources. Pennsylvania’s residential electricity rate is $0.176/kWh, above the national average of $0.16/kWh. Commercial users pay $0.113/kWh, below the national average of $0.126/kWh. Industrial users pay $0.078/kWh, below the national average industrial rate of $0.0804/kWh. Residential natural gas prices average $15.42 per thousand cubic feet, slightly above the national average of $14.75, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Environment Annual carbon emissions have decreased by 30.4 percent since 1970, even as the state’s population grew by 14.1 percent during that span. Pennsylvania’s population is projected to increase by an additional 2 percent, reaching 13.2 million residents by 2050. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lists 20 species in Pennsylvania as threatened or endangered.
