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State College, PA

State College, PA

Aerial view of Penn State’s University Park campus and State College, Pennsylvania, a... · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0

Bellefonte is part of the State College area. This page covers the whole metro.

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Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around State College

A halal cart on South Pugh Street
A halal cart on South Pugh Street · Photo: Goonsnick, CC BY-SA 4.0
Aerial view of Penn State’s University Park campus and State College, Pennsylvania, a...
Aerial view of Penn State’s University Park campus and State College, Pennsylvania, a... · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
The State Theatre screening The Dark Crystal on a rainy night
The State Theatre screening The Dark Crystal on a rainy night · Photo: Goonsnick, CC BY 4.0
State High class of 2025 graduation at Memorial Field
State High class of 2025 graduation at Memorial Field · Photo: Goonsnick, CC0
View of Mount Nittany from Downtown
View of Mount Nittany from Downtown · Photo: Goonsnick, CC0
Parkway Wetlands during the summer
Parkway Wetlands during the summer · Photo: Goonsnick, CC0
One of the largest protest in State College history took place in May 31, 2020 in...
One of the largest protest in State College history took place in May 31, 2020 in... · Photo: Goonsnick, CC0
This is a landscape of the Main Building on the campus of Penn State Great Valley in...
This is a landscape of the Main Building on the campus of Penn State Great Valley in... · Photo: David Kriz, CC BY-SA 4.0
Camelot a historic house in the borough of State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania, USA
Camelot a historic house in the borough of State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania, USA · Photo: Ruhrfisch ( talk ), CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
State College
State College in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the State College area.

24
grocery stores
134
restaurants
49
coffee shops
91
parks
129
playgrounds
5
libraries
2
movie theaters
13
live theaters
14
museums
11
bookstores
1
comic shop
30
gyms
25
bars
6
pharmacies
2
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the State College area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
90 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
227 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 21,771 rented homes in the State College area, 88% rent for under $2,000 a month and 97% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 33%
$1,000 to $1,499: 39%
$1,500 to $1,999: 15%
$2,000 to $2,499: 6%
$2,500 to $2,999: 3%
$3,000 or more: 3%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the State College area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Pennsylvania: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Pennsylvania DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Pennsylvania voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

One of the largest protest in State College history took place in May 31, 2020 in...
One of the largest protest in State College history took place in May 31, 2020 in... · Photo: Goonsnick, CC0

4 public school districts in this county, with about 12,260 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

State College Area Sd · State College
6,781 students · 12.4 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades K to 12
Bellefonte Area Sd · Bellefonte
2,599 students · 12.6 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades K to 12
Bald Eagle Area Sd · Wingate
1,528 students · 11.9 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades K to 12
Penns Valley Area Sd · Spring Mills
1,352 students · 14.5 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Pennsylvania keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Pennsylvania →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

3 colleges in the county around State College. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park
Public, 4-year · 50,399 students · $20,234 in-state, $40,188 out-of-state
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus · University Park
Public, 4-year · 13,564 students · $15,204 a year
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology · Pleasant Gap
Public, 2-year (community college) · 126 students

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$351,308
What a typical home sells for across the State College area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 3% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $97 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 96.8 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 2 hr 40 min at rush hour
To downtown Pittsburgh, PA, 136 miles. About 2 hr 33 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
20 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $1,529 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in PA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
6.3 per 100,000 people a year
10 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. PA average: 21 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 7.3 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 2,325 people without housing in the Eastern Pennsylvania area (33 counties): 1,847 in shelters and 478 outside, up from 2,262 in 2024. PA: 11.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Unemployment
3.3%
The share of people looking for work who can't find it, averaged over the year. U.S.: about 4%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Median household income
$72,748
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.07% of home value a year
About $1,070 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.07%
PA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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