You matched. You celebrated. Now you're staring at a map of central Pennsylvania trying to figure out where you're going to live for the next three to seven years.

If you're starting a residency, fellowship, or clinical rotation at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center — or beginning coursework at Penn State College of Medicine — this guide is for you. It covers what you need to know about housing in the Hershey area, what to prioritize when you're working 60-80 hour weeks, and how to set yourself up with a comfortable landing pad while you figure out the long-term plan.

You Matched at Penn State Health. Now What?

Match Day happens in March. Your program starts July 1. That gives you roughly three and a half months to find a place to live in an area you may have only visited once (for your interview) or never at all.

Here's the reality most incoming residents face:

You can't apartment-hunt remotely with confidence. Photos lie. Neighborhoods feel different in person. Commute times depend on shift schedules you haven't received yet. Signing a 12-month lease sight-unseen is a gamble.

You might not know your schedule until weeks before you start. Rotation sites, call schedules, and clinic days shift. Where you want to live depends on where you'll actually be spending your time — and that picture often doesn't clarify until late May or June.

You're probably moving from far away. Penn State Health draws residents nationally. Cross-country moves with a start date that doesn't flex mean you need housing locked down before you arrive, not after.

Your partner or family may be figuring out their own logistics. Jobs, schools, childcare — these take time to sort in a new area. Having a stable home base while everyone gets oriented makes the transition dramatically less stressful.

The result: most new residents need 30 to 90 days of transitional housing. A place to land, unpack, start working, and find your permanent home on your own timeline instead of under pressure.

Why 30-60+ Days of Transitional Housing Makes Sense

A hotel for a week won't cut it. Here's why incoming medical professionals typically need longer:

Apartment hunting takes time when you're already working. Once residency starts, your free hours shrink fast. You need evenings and rare days off to tour apartments, meet landlords, and compare neighborhoods. That process takes 3-6 weeks minimum when you're also adjusting to a new hospital system.

Lease timing rarely aligns with July 1. Most leases in the Hershey-Harrisburg area turn over on the 1st or 15th of a given month. If the right apartment isn't available until August or September, you need somewhere comfortable to bridge the gap.

You're making better decisions when you're not rushed. Choosing where to live for 3+ years deserves more than a panicked weekend of apartment tours. A furnished suite gives you the breathing room to explore neighborhoods, test commute routes during actual shift hours, and talk to co-residents about where they live.

Some residents discover they want to buy, not rent. That process takes even longer. Having a flexible home base means you can take your time with a real estate search without living out of a suitcase.

What to Look for in Temporary Housing Near Hershey Medical Center

Your needs as a medical professional are specific. Not every housing option accounts for them. Here's what actually matters:

A Full Kitchen (Non-Negotiable)

You're going to be exhausted. Eating out every meal is expensive and unsustainable on a resident's salary. A full kitchen — real stove, full-size fridge, cookware, counter space — means you can meal-prep on your day off and eat well all week without thinking about it. This alone saves $500-$1,500+ per month compared to restaurants and delivery.

Quiet for Irregular Hours

You'll be sleeping at odd times. Post-call days mean crashing at 8 AM. Night shifts mean sleeping through the afternoon. Hotel hallways, thin walls, and housekeeping knocks are brutal when your sleep schedule rotates weekly. You need a private, quiet space where nobody's schedule interferes with yours.

Proximity to the Medical Center

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center sits about 4 miles east of downtown Hershey — roughly a 10-minute drive. When you're commuting for a 5:30 AM pre-round or dragging home after a 14-hour shift, every minute counts. Being close enough to get home fast but far enough to mentally separate from the hospital is the sweet spot.

Space to Decompress

A 300-square-foot hotel room is fine for a conference. It's suffocating when it's your entire life for two months. You need room to spread out: a workspace for studying, a living area that isn't your bed, and enough square footage that your home doesn't feel like another call room.

Flexibility on Length of Stay

Most apartments require 12-month leases. Most hotels charge nightly rates that become absurd at 30+ days. What you want is something in between: furnished, flexible on duration (30, 45, 60+ nights), with rates that get better the longer you stay.

The Hershey Area: What to Know as a Newcomer

If you've never lived in central PA, here's the orientation nobody gives you during interview day:

The Geography

Hershey is a small town (population ~15,000) in Dauphin County. It's not a suburb of a big city — it IS the anchor of its own micro-region. Harrisburg (the state capital) is 15 minutes west. Lancaster is 35 minutes southeast. Philadelphia is about 90 minutes east.

The Commute

From downtown Hershey to the medical center: ~10 minutes by car via Chocolate Avenue or Route 322. There's no meaningful traffic. Parking at the hospital is available (though lot assignments vary by year). Some residents bike in good weather.

Neighborhoods to Know

Downtown Hershey (Chocolate Avenue corridor): Walkable to restaurants, coffee shops, and daily errands. ~10 min to the hospital. This is where most of Hershey's social life happens.

Hummelstown: The next town west, 5-10 minutes from the medical center. Quieter, slightly more affordable, good for families.

Palmyra / Annville: East of Hershey, 15-20 minutes to the hospital. More rural, more space, lower cost of living. Good if you want a yard and don't mind the drive.

Harrisburg (Midtown / Downtown): 15-20 minutes to the hospital. More urban, more nightlife and restaurants, more apartment options. Popular with residents who want a city feel.

Daily Life

Groceries: Giant Food (closest to downtown Hershey), Hershey Fresh Market (walkable from Chocolate Ave), Pronio's Market (quick stops and deli).

Coffee: Lisa's Cafe on Chocolate is the local go-to. Good Wi-Fi, relaxed, porch seating.

Food: The Hershey Pantry (breakfast institution), Tröegs Independent Brewing (nationally recognized craft brewery with a full restaurant), Fenicci's (Italian, been around since 1935).

Fitness: Shank Park trail network for running/biking, Studio Sol for yoga/Pilates, Adventure Sports for blowing off steam.

Unwinding: The Vineyard at Hershey (wine + live music), Book Bar (bookshop + wine bar), Hershey Theatre for shows.

Cost of Living

Central PA is significantly cheaper than most metro areas where medical schools are located. Expect:

• 1BR apartments: $1,000-$1,500/month
• 2BR apartments: $1,400-$2,000/month
• Groceries, gas, dining: noticeably below national average
• No local income tax beyond PA state (3.07% flat rate)

How to Make a Furnished Suite Work as Your Landing Pad

Here's how to use transitional housing effectively during your first weeks:

Before You Arrive

• Ship ahead. If your suite has a mailing address, send boxes before you drive in. Arrive to an unpacked space, not a car full of stuff.
• Stock the kitchen remotely. Services like Sweet Convenience Co deliver snacks and essentials directly to your suite in Hershey. Arrive to a stocked fridge without needing to hit the grocery store after a long drive.
• Get your schedule. Even a rough draft helps you understand which neighborhoods make sense for your commute pattern.

Week 1: Settle and Orient

• Unpack fully. Hang things up. Put food in the fridge. Make it feel like home, not a hotel.
• Drive your commute to the hospital during the hours you'll actually be doing it. Test the route at 5 AM, not 2 PM.
• Find your coffee spot, your grocery store, your go-to takeout place. Small routines stabilize everything.

Weeks 2-4: Start Apartment Hunting (Without Pressure)

• Ask co-residents where they live and what they like about it. Insider recommendations beat Zillow listings.
• Tour apartments on your days off. You'll have a much better sense of what you want after living in the area for two weeks.
• Pay attention to which neighborhoods you naturally gravitate toward on your free time.

Weeks 4-8: Lock Down Your Long-Term Plan

• Sign a lease (or make an offer on a house) from a position of knowledge, not desperation.
• You've tested commute times, found your favorite spots, and know what matters to you. That's worth the cost of two months of transitional housing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should new residents live near Penn State Hershey Medical Center?

Most residents live in downtown Hershey (walkable, social, 10 min to hospital), Hummelstown (quiet, affordable, 5-10 min), or Harrisburg Midtown (urban, more nightlife, 15-20 min). The right choice depends on your lifestyle, whether you have a family, and how much you value short commute vs. city amenities. Spending your first month or two in furnished housing near the hospital gives you time to figure this out without pressure.

How far is downtown Hershey from the medical center?

About 4 miles, roughly a 10-minute drive via Chocolate Avenue or Route 322. There's almost no traffic. Some residents bike during warmer months.

Is there short-term furnished housing near Hershey Medical Center?

Yes. Suites on Chocolate is a fully furnished extended-stay property on East Chocolate Avenue in downtown Hershey, about 4 miles from the medical center. Every suite has a full kitchen, Wi-Fi, dedicated workspace, and on-site laundry. The 15-night minimum and tiered monthly pricing make it a practical landing pad for incoming residents and fellows who need 30-90 days while finding permanent housing.

What's the best housing setup for residents working irregular hours?

Prioritize quiet (no shared hallways, no hotel-style traffic), blackout capability for daytime sleep, a full kitchen for meal prep on days off, and proximity to the hospital so post-call commutes are short. A private furnished suite beats a hotel or sublet for all four.

Can I bring a pet during my residency transition period?

Small pets are considered in select suites at Suites on Chocolate. Ask when booking and our team will match you to a pet-friendly option if available.

What's the typical resident salary at Penn State Health?

PGY-1 salaries at Penn State Health are in the $60,000-$65,000 range (varies by year and program). Cost of living in central PA stretches that further than it would in most metro areas. A full kitchen during your transitional period saves $500-$1,500/month on food alone.

When should I start looking for permanent housing?

Most incoming residents start searching seriously in May-June (before their July 1 start) or during their first few weeks of orientation. Having a furnished suite as your base means you can take your time and make a good decision rather than panic-signing a lease sight-unseen from across the country.

Ready to Land Comfortably?

Suites on Chocolate is on East Chocolate Avenue in Hershey: 9 fully furnished suites ranging from studios to a 3-floor house. Every suite has a full kitchen, free parking, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a quiet, residential setting 4 miles from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Rates are tiered by length of stay — the longer you're here, the less you pay per night.

Whether you need 30 days to find an apartment or 90 days while you close on a house, you'll have a real home base from day one of residency.

Check availability: suitesonchocolate.com

Call: (717) 533-6178

Email: team@suitesonchocolate.com

Suites on Chocolate · 1428 E. Chocolate Ave, Hershey, PA 17033 · Family-owned, 20+ years in Hershey · 4.7★ on Google