Research Reports

Marcellus Shale development brings gas company workers, subcontractors and workers in related areas (e.g., pipeline or other construction) to the locations in which natural gas exploration and drilling occur. An immediate issue is where to house these workers. This research examined housing stock and change in housing stock, rental and vacancy rates, housing costs, and housing affordability in the four study counties of Bradford, Lycoming, Washington, and Greene within a regional and statewide context. The research used secondary data from the U.S. Census of Population and Housing (2000) and the American Community Survey (ACS 3-year estimates, 2005/07 and 2009/11). The research also used qualitative data from focus groups with individuals knowledgeable about housing in the study counties.

To learn more about how rural Pennsylvanians view the issues facing the state and their local communities, how their perceptions differ from urban
residents, and how these views have changed across time, the researchers surveyed more than 1,200 rural Pennsylvanians in 2008. They also surveyed more than 1,000 urban residents. The researchers then combined the responses with information from previous rural surveys conducted in 1999, 2000, and 2003 to gauge changes over time.