> I am looking to buy a house in the 130k range.

This is a really tall order. I just spot checked Zillow for properties under $140k and there are a handful around the Harrisburg / York area in varying conditions. There's a townhouse in Enola that looks like it might be a decent possibility, two in Marysville ... and that's about it.

I'm saying this as someone who loves all the dining, entertainment, and culture Harrisburg (and presumably York) has to offer: do not buy property in the city until you know the city. There are many neighborhoods that are fine, but you could easily wind up buying property in a bad part of the city.

That said, if you're in your 20s, the Harrisburg / York / Lancaster region is a blast! Tons of entertainment options, tons of singles, tons of breweries, distilleries, restaurants, trails, jobs ... you name it. It's also easy to get out of the city and go camping or hiking in true wilderness. And you've got easy access to major transportation options. Harrisburg International Airport is the best small-city international airport I've ever been to, but Philly and Baltimore are only 1.5 - 2 hours away. You can even take the train to Philly and hop the connector straight to the airport. Or keep going another 90 minutes into New York.

Take a look at Lancaster too. It's a larger city with tons of culture and dining options. The crowd tends to be more affluent and ... I'm not really sure how to say this, but remember that weird "exuberant hipster EVERYTHING IS AMAZING" attitude of 2010? It's that, all the time.

I'd also take a good look at Pittsburgh. I agree with the other poster, you're going to have a hard time finding any place at that price where you'd actually want to live. But Pittsburgh is booming right now and has been for a while. It's anchored by several major employers, it's got a decent airport, crime is reasonable, and you've got tons of cultural and dining options. If you're into cycling, this also puts you within easy reach of tons of trails (including the Great Allegheny Passage).

Finally, wherever you go, I'd highly recommend renting first. You don't know if you're going to love it there, you don't know if your job will work out, you don't know the neighborhoods, you don't know if you'll want to stay there, and the last thing you want is to be stuck with a house you can barely afford in a region you dislike.