Renovo Pa Facts

**Carmen** · 01-09-2012, 08:18 PM

I realized that this town had a depressed economy when I rode there for the first time last summer, but I just discovered some facts on line about this town that surprised me.

Census taken in 2009:

Population: 1202 (8% decline since 2000)

Median age: 39.5

Median household Income: $20,277

Per capita Income: $13,041

Median value of detached family home $43,639

The low income and real estate value really shocked me.

To put it into perspective, two family members each earning minimum wage in Ontario would make $41,600 ($20,800 each).

Renovo has got to be one of the poorest towns in the U.S.

**afong56** · 01-09-2012, 09:16 PM

http://www.minimum-wage.org/states.a...e=Pennsylvania

the minimum wage in pa is $7.25, and two people working 52 wks, @40 hrs/wk, would make about $15k each, or $30k combined.

i suspect there are a lot of renovo-like towns in pa, and the us.

in their service sector retail economy, they'll work 2 and 3 jobs to get by, because they won't be pulling down full-time hours at those non-union jobs. . .that's if they can get a job in the first place.

**gcrouse** · 01-09-2012, 09:50 PM

Good place to go then to help support them. Have been there a few times , good food, good people, good roads, cheap vacation!!!!! Go Canada Go.

**Gary64** · 01-10-2012, 08:21 AM

It's hard not to notice the poverty in Renovo, quite sad actually. The stretch of 144 between Renovo and Snow Shoe is one of my favorite roads in PA. It seems the only people going through the town are doing so on 2 wheels. I think they could really help out the local economy if they catered to the motorcycle community and had us stay around for a while and spend our money. The location is fantastic but all I've ever done there is buy gas and a bottle of water because there really isn't much else to do. A couple of pubs or restaurants and decent accommodation could be a huge help in such a depressed town.

**omnivore** · 01-10-2012, 08:59 AM

A family earning 25K a yr is gonna have a tough time getting capital to start pubs and accomodations like hotels or motels...

PA is high living compared to some of the places I have ridden thru in West Virginia

**Gary64** · 01-10-2012, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by omnivore

A family earning 25K a yr is gonna have a tough time getting capital to start pubs and accomodations like hotels or motels...

PA is high living compared to some of the places I have ridden thru in West Virginia

Agreed, poverty is a vicious circle. I'm not a huge proponent of handouts but sometimes a little public money to get things jump started can help. A bit of a push from the Visit PA might help.

**Carmen** · 01-10-2012, 04:03 PM

Just did a quick check of a couple of West Virgina towns I went through last year (same size as Renovo), and both are better off economically. These towns are Parsons and Marlinton. I think Renovo ranks right up there with any poor town in WV.

**FiReSTaRT** · 01-10-2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Carmen

Median value of detached family home $43,639
The low income and real estate value really shocked me.
To put it into perspective, two family members each earning minimum wage in Ontario would make $41,600 ($20,800 each).

Compare the real estate prices in ON and PA and you get to the shocking realization that they're still more able to afford a home than many Ontarians

**omnivore** · 01-10-2012, 08:55 PM

Gilbert, WV...and this was apretty nice little town:
http://www.bestplaces.net/economy/ci...rginia/gilbert

You should see some of the bad ones.

**Rotten_Ronnie** · 01-11-2012, 01:13 AM

Guys, it was a railroad town based on the lumber and coal. Research those two industries and ask yourself what happened to the folks who didn't follow the work and the answer is Renovo.

Yesterdays used to be the YMCA where the men would stay while working in the rail yard or passing through.

**nobbie48** · 01-12-2012, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Gary64

It's hard not to notice the poverty in Renovo, quite sad actually. The stretch of 144 between Renovo and Snow Shoe is one of my favorite roads in PA. It seems the only people going through the town are doing so on 2 wheels. I think they could really help out the local economy if they catered to the motorcycle community and had us stay around for a while and spend our money. The location is fantastic but all I've ever done there is buy gas and a bottle of water because there really isn't much else to do. A couple of pubs or restaurants and decent accommodation could be a huge help in such a depressed town.

The problem is that M/Cs are seasonal not unlike our ski slopes. You have to make a killing during the season to carry the capital costs of building the facilities.
Motorcyclists aren't a good customer base IMO. They don't shop, buy much stuff, shouldn't drink too much. Tourism income depends on fat people in Cadillacs who pig out and shop and take home trunkfulls of stuff.
Motorcycles scare some people as well. Read up on the biker weeks at Myrtle Beach and you can understand the concern.

**mototrek** · 02-10-2012, 07:20 PM

I spend time in every town I visit finding out about it's history and culture - usually from locals and the library. Renovo was so named because the town became a center of renewing steam locomotives. Notice, as you enter town from the west end on 120 - directly in front of you are the remains of the workshops. They are the big buildings behind the town - ride along Champlain Ave and to the north you'll see the workshops. Big red buildings with white doors - that's where the engines entered and were worked on. Continue along Champlain and notice the "company" lodging buildings - many today in terrible condition.
You'll also notice most people live across the river in single dwellings - the sheer number of cars parked on the roads is a testament to the unemployment rate. I noticed quite a number of young mothers with children - few men. (I guessed many were in Afghanistan) As you exit the town in the east, you'll pass their war memorial - which is really well cared for - compared to some of the residents. Noticeably absent from town are other small town businesses - Wendy's/MacDonald's Denny's etc. But you can get a good meal at Yesterday's.

**nobbie48** · 02-12-2012, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Carmen

I realized that this town had a depressed economy when I rode there for the first time last summer, but I just discovered some facts on line about this town that surprised me.

Census taken in 2009:

Population: 1202 (8% decline since 2000)

Median age: 39.5

Median household Income: $20,277

Per capita Income: $13,041

Median value of detached family home $43,639

The low income and real estate value really shocked me.

To put it into perspective, two family members each earning minimum wage in Ontario would make $41,600 ($20,800 each).

Renovo has got to be one of the poorest towns in the U.S.

An average can be skewed by a couple of high earners. The median is where half make more and half make less. Sometimes there is a massive difference between the two. Nine peons and one Bill Gates gives an average income of a few billion. The median would be around the minimum wage, a more reasonable number.
Ignoring taxes a minimum wage worker earns enough in three years to pay for a house. In Ontario the minimum would bring in about $65K. Not so good.
I've wondered what it would be like to retire down there for economic reasons but I don't think I could handle the culture on a long term basis. I favour eastern Ohio anyway.