The Town FilesState College, Pennsylvania
Borough in Centre County · population 40,501 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $437,800
- Household income
- $45,424
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 21.2
State College is a borough of 40,501 people in Centre County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $437,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 98% of Pennsylvania towns, better for cycling than 96% of Pennsylvania towns.
How State College ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in State College is worth $437,800, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 9.6 times the median household income of $45,424, which is more affordable than 0% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,273 a month. 26.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | State College | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $437,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,273 | $996 |
| Median household income | $45,424 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 26.1% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in State College
| People | State College | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.8% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 5.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 38.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 1.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.5% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 15.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 89.0% |
Weather in State College
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 20.5°F. About 41.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of State College since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 18, 1991 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2002.
Severe weather in Centre County since 1996
Centre County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| December 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4292: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 1, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4149: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Centre County
Centre County had 68,578 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,822 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in State College itself the ACS puts it at 5%.
Public schools in State College
12 public schools with 6,521 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College Area HS | 8-12 | 2,347 | 11.6 |
| Park Forest MS | 6-8 | 808 | 13.5 |
| Mount Nittany MS | 6-8 | 712 | 11.3 |
| Radio Park El Sch | K-5 | 432 | 12.7 |
| Mount Nittany El Sch | K-5 | 424 | 13.3 |
| Park Forest El Sch | K-5 | 413 | 13.8 |
| Spring Creek El Sch | K-5 | 381 | 14.7 |
| Young Scholars of Central PA CS (charter) | K-8 | 344 | 9.1 |
| Easterly Parkway El Sch | K-5 | 320 | 10.0 |
| Corl Street El Sch | K-5 | 226 | 12.6 |
| Centre Learning Community CS (charter) | 5-8 | 67 | 11.2 |
| Nittany Valley CS (charter) | K-6 | 47 | 9.4 |
Towns near State College
- College, PA2.6 mi · 10,762 people · home $404,400
- Toftrees, PA2.8 mi · 3,513 people · home $434,100
- Park Forest Village, PA2.8 mi · 8,831 people · home $389,600
- Patton, PA4.3 mi · 15,650 people · home $388,100
- Boalsburg, PA4.4 mi · 4,577 people · home $413,000
- Harris, PA4.7 mi · 5,913 people · home $425,500
- Ferguson, PA5.5 mi · 19,009 people · home $404,600
- Benner, PA5.9 mi · 8,964 people · home $334,200
State College questions
Is State College, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, State College scores better for retirees than 2% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 1%. 6.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.2).
How much does a house cost in State College?
The median owner-occupied home in State College is valued at $437,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,424, so homes cost about 9.6 times income. Median rent is $1,273 a month.
What is the weather like in State College?
July highs average 81.1°F and January lows 20.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.5 inches of precipitation a year and 43.8 inches of snow.
Does State College get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of State College since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 18, 1991. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)