Mercer, Pennsylvania

The healthcare provider is located in Mercer, Pennsylvania, and is affiliated with a major regional healthcare facility. A dedicated team of medical professionals offers comprehensive care, including skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. A welcoming facility in an idyllic setting, the provider takes pride in offering the best care to meet patients’ needs.

Mercer is a borough in Pennsylvania of 1,982 people located within an hour of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its location makes it a popular place to commute from for Pittsburgh workers, and Mercer is also within an hour and a half from Cleveland, Ohio. Affordable, quaint, and yet offering easy access to the city, Mercer is one of the best spots in Western Pennsylvania. Its low crime rate, easy public transportation, and excellent school system make it attractive to many.

Community Links & Resources

• Government Website
• Borough Website
• Visit Mercer County Website

The cost of living for Mercer is excellent and is one of the lowest in Pennsylvania. With lower prices on gas, groceries, housing, and medical services, Mercer also offers a cost of living lower than the national average. Mercer’s housing costs are lower, with $810 the average rent for a 1-bedroom. Your rent may vary; this is only an average.

Mercer has various apartment complexes and other properties for rent, many of which feature amenities such as stainless steel appliances and laundry.

‍Pennsylvania demographics

Apartment Listing Resources

• Apartments.com 
• Apartment Finder
• Trulia
• Zillow
• Rent.com

The below apartment management companies work with PassportUSA employees, so you can get set up with a place to live as soon as possible:

• Home 365 Property Management
• Mercer Manor Apartments

Public schools in Mercer are part of the Mercer Area School District, which has 1 elementary school and a combination middle/high school. The school district is above average and performs well by state test standards. According to test scores, 54% of students are proficient in math, and 69% are proficient in reading.  Students thrive in this small but dedicated public school district thanks to the low student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. To further give their students an academic advantage, the district offers Chromebooks as a learning aid for classroom and home use.  Mercer also features 4 private schools. 

The Mercer Area Library system offers borrowers thousands of books, media, and magazines to enjoy. Residents of Pennsylvania can also sign up for the premier Pittsburgh library system, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, which offers 19 branch locations to browse and a thorough digital catalog. 

Various youth programs in the community

• Children's Center of Mercer County (toddler-12 years old)
• Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County
• After School Program
• Summer Camp
• Holiday Camp
• Middle School Drop-In Program

It’s easy to get around Mercer. The city’s Shenango Valley Shuttle Service offers fixed routes throughout the area, including to nearby Sharon, Pennsylvania. The Tina Taxi and Delivery Service offers 24/7 taxi access to residents for both out-of-town and in-town destinations, plus trips to Pittsburgh International Airport, Mercer’s closest airport. 

Daily Driving in Mercer

• The average commute in Mercer is 21 minutes, lower than the national average of 26 minutes
• 81% of commuters drive their own vehicle

Youngstown, Ohio  - Cross into the state of Ohio on a 33-mile/53 KM drive of 33 minutes, and you’ll find yourself in Youngstown. The city offers art, outdoor recreation, and entertainment options. Established in 1919, the city’s Butler Institute of American Art was the first museum exclusively for American art, and today it contains works by famed artists Norman Rockwell and Winslow Homer. Youngstown also features the McDonough Museum of Art, a free museum at Youngstown State University. Other museums include the Clarence R. Smith Mineral Museum, the TP Auto Car Collection Museum, and the Melnick Medical Museum. For science and nature exploration, there’s the Oh WOW Children’s Center for Science & Technology Center, which offers 60 exhibits for hands-on learning, and the Ford Nature Center, an educational facility with an outdoor classroom within  Mill Creek Metroparks. Youngstown also features a solid performing arts scene, with shows like Disney on Ice and other family-friendly picks at the Covelli Center.

Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania -  Located around 45 minutes from Mercer is Cranberry Township, a municipality part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. The 45-mile / 72 KM drive is easy along Interstate 79-South. Cranberry Township features the Fun Fore All Family Park, which offers several family attractions, including a 70-game arcade, gravity ride, mini-golf course, 4D movie, kid’s coaster, and batting cages. Also within the area, YMCA Camp Coffman will let you enjoy the great outdoors via horseback, zipline, or climbing tower.  

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Mercer is a suburb of Pittsburgh and is just an hour away from the city via a smooth 64.6-mile / 103.96 KM drive on Interstate 79-S. Pittsburgh is a bustling city but still has its quirks and charm. In addition to amazing Carnegie museums, Pittsburgh has a great zoo, botanical garden, and multiple parks. Sports fans can enjoy the excitement of a game day for one of the city’s beloved teams, such as the Penguin hockey team, Pittsburgh Steelers football team, and the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. 

‍Cleveland, Ohio - The 1-and-a-half-hour drive to Cleveland, Ohio, is 99 miles / 159 KM via the 80-W interstate. While its history as an industrial city remains, Cleveland has a boundless appreciation of the arts. The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the most visited art museums in the world, and its collection of more than 61,000 works includes famous artists like Botticelli and Pollack. Downtown Cleveland is home to Playhouse Square, the city’s collection of several theaters for plays, traveling comedians, and other performers. While downtown, you might want to stop by the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse to see a Cleveland Cavaliers game or see a favorite comedian at the Hilarities comedy club. A historic arcade downtown features several unique shops, while a short drive down the shore takes you to the Lake Erie beachfront. Other Cleveland attractions include the Christmas Story House and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Mercer County offers various attractions to enjoy and shopping to meet your needs. 

Grocery stores within the area include Walt’s, Giant Eagle, and Standard Market. Other shopping options range from specialty food shops to department stores like Walmart and Kohls's. Just 15 minutes down the road sits Grove City Premium Outlets, home to discounted merchandise from brands such as GAP, J. Crew, North Face, and The Children’s Place. Head to Youngstown, Ohio, just 33 minutes away, for even more shopping.

This section of Western Pennsylvania is steeped in history plus offers wonderful cultural opportunities, and living in Mercer means you’re never far from the action. Great for history lovers as well as anyone interested in metalworking, the 100-year-old Wendell August Forge is the oldest working forge in America. It features a tour where you can see workers create sterling silver, bronze, and other metal objects completely by hand.  Also of interest is the Baldwin-Reynolds House, built by Supreme Court Justice Henry Baldwin. This historic home perched on the banks of a canal is filled with historical artifacts and information about the home’s former residents. The small but unique Johnson-Shaw Stereoscopic Museum educates visitors about the art of stereoscopic photography, a technique that dates back to 1872. For a different type of museum, visit the Harmony Museum, a space dedicated to the quaint small 250-year-old town of Harmony, which George Washington once visited. 

There are numerous ways to experience the arts here as well, thanks to Mercer’s proximity to good theaters. The Guthrie Theatre is a small restored historic theater that offers movie screenings, while the Area Community Theatre of Sharon, Pennsylvania, offers plays, concerts, and other entertainment. The New Castle Playhouse has a full season each year, with elaborate shows for families, including Disney favorites. Not far as well as is a spectacular art museum, the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, which has a great collection, including many pieces of Southwestern Pennsylvania art. The thorough collection features paintings, sculptures, photographs, and prints. If that’s not enough, Pittsburgh is just waiting to be explored and offers multiple museums. 

The area offers great adventure, whether you like hiking, biking, boating, or any other recreational activity. Experienced hikers like to trek up a moderate hike to see Pennsylvania’s Freedom Falls, a beautiful 20-foot waterfall located 45 minutes from Mercer. Pymatuning State Park isn’t far either and is one of Pennsylvania's largest state parks. The park features a beach, playground, and fishing lake. Marinas near the park rent out kayaks and canoes for water recreation in this scenic spot.

• Chamber of Commerce website

Overview of nearby Filipino communities

• Filipino-American Association of Pittsburgh (FAAP)
• Philippine-American Performing Arts of Greater Pittsburgh
• Philippine Center of Pittsburgh | West Mifflin PA (facebook.com)

Filipino restaurants

• ‍Cafe Filipino - FAAP Fundraising

One can find information on religious communities in the United States through:

• Religious websites or directories: Church Finder and Church Angel
• Social media groups or pages dedicated to a particular religion or city
• Local community centers or mosques/temples/churches
• Online forums or discussion groups
• Ask for recommendations from friends or acquaintances who live in the area
• Community event listings or local news websites

Mercer’s climate is humid continental, which means it has 4 distinct seasons, with warm to hot summers and cold winters. The warmest month is July, while the coldest month is January.  Mercer’s annual average rainfall total is 43 inches / 1092 MM, slightly higher than the national average of 38.1 inches /967.44 MM of rain.  However, Mercer also has 43 inches / 1092 MM of snow a year.

Average Mercer Temperatures

• Annual: 23ºF to 81ºF / -5ºC  to 27.2ºC
• December:  Low of 25ºF/-4C  and High of 38°F /3ºC  
• July: Low of 64F/17.7.ºC and High of 82ºF /27.7º C

Mercer is safe for families. The crime rate for the area makes Mercer safer than 84% of the country and one of the safest spots in all of Pennsylvania. 

• Police Department
• Safest neighborhoods: Big Bend, Irishtown, Bethel, and Carbon