State desk
Ranks 26th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Pennsylvania stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 15 Pennsylvania outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Pennsylvania in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A license is required; sheriffs must issue a license to carry firearms to qualified applicants meeting criteria.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Pennsylvania taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 3.07 percent, ranking 36 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Pennsylvania charges 58.70 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 5 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 77.10 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 74.10 cents.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Retains the death penalty; a governor's hold has continued since 2015.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 4 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty23 · Abolished
Not a right-to-work state; union-security agreements are permitted.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage matches the federal rate at $7.25.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 12 states with this rule
30 · Above the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
No ID is required for established voters; only first-time voters at a precinct must show identification.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)
EITC and OSTC tax-credit scholarships serve income-eligible students; no universal program.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL lists Pennsylvania among states recognizing, by statute or court case, that there is no duty to retreat in any place where a person is lawfully present. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 31 states with this rule
7 · Recognized by Court Decision12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request a no-excuse mail-in ballot without providing a reason.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was 3.6% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, down 0.1 percentage points from 3.7% in August. It ranks 20th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), up from 23rd. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.4%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Pennsylvania is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court