This is Train's proposed plan:
Philadelphia 4009K
Northeastern Pennsylvania 2691K
Central Pennsylvania 2805K
Pittsburgh-Western Pennsylvania 3198K
Muon did not like the extension of the Central Pennsylvania district to New York, and offered this alternative.
Philadelphia 4009K
Northeastern Pennsylvania 2420K
Central Pennsylvania 2947K
Pittsburgh-Western Pennsylvania 3326K
Muon, you didn't update the populations on your second map.
I didn't like the long extension of the Northeastern Pennsylvania district to the southwest, which in part is required by putting the Lehigh Valley in Central Pennsylvania.
After moving the Lehigh Valley to the Northeast, I shifted the Western district to include Altoona, I then adjusted the boundaries of the districts to conform to the regional EMS districts (the council of government organizations in Pennsylvania are mostly single county, and are organizations of boroughs, municipalities, and towns, rather than counties). The one divided EMS district includes Berks and Schuylkill to the west, and Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, and Monroe to the east). If Berks and Schuylkill were moved to the Northeast, that would underpopulate the Central region, forcing it north to include State College.
The population disparity is somewhat high. One solution would be to pull Chester out of the Philadelphia region since it is the least connected, and perhaps retreating the Western region some.
Philadelphia 4009K
Northeastern Pennsylvania 2356K
Central Pennsylvania 2448K
Pittsburgh-Western Pennsylvania 3889K
History
Pennsylvania had 3 districts in 1790 as the 3rd largest state. It passed Massachusetts in 1800 to rank 2nd and gained its 4th district. It slipped to 3rd behind New York in 1810, but gained a 5th district in 1820. In 1830, it passed Virginia to become the second most populous behind New York, a position it would hold until 1950.
It gained a 6th district in 1850, and generally kept pace with New York throughout the latter part of the 19th Century. It added a 7th district in 1910, but lost it in 1930. It fell to 3rd behind California in 1950, and lost its 6th district in 1960.
Pennsylvania stalled over the latter part of the 20th Century, particularly in the 1970s, and 1980s. Between 1960 and 2010, Pennsylvania gained at an annual rate of 0.23%.
Texas passed Pennsylvania in 1980. as Pennsylvania fell to 4th, its lowest ranking ever. In 1990, it fell to 5th behind Florida, the last state to ever rank so high at its lowest point, and also lost its 5th district. In 2000, it fell to 6th behind Illinois.
Rhode Island has always been one of the least populous states, traditionally only being larger than Delaware. It kept ahead some of the new western states to reach 13th smallest in 1940 and 1950. Since then it has slid to 8th smallest.
South Carolina had two districts from 1790 until 1870, when as a consequence of the Civil War it had almost no growth and lost the 2nd district. It regained the second district in 1880 and held lost it again 1910. After sliding down somewhat, it has began to recover. In 2010, it was the closest to regaining the 2nd district since 1920.
South Dakota was 35th in 1890, its first census after statehood. That was its highest ranking ever. Between 1930 and 1990, South Dakota gained a total of 3,155 persons.
I suspect Schuylkill would want to be in your yellow district.
