Living in State College, PA
College town in Pennsylvania
State College is a college town in Pennsylvania, home to about 41,000 people, with 163,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is State College a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Safe: violent crime is 0.2× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Low natural disaster risk: 4 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Mild summers: highs around 79°F
- Dog-friendly: 4 dog parks within 9 mi
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Smaller job market: about 163,000 people live within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how State College ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in State College: common questions
What is the cost of living in State College?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $386k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,760 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 97, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in State College?
Pennsylvania collects about $1,376 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.06% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is State College safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in State College?
State College has cold winters: winter days average around 36°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 44″ of snow a year.
Does State College get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 4 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.14 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to State College?
The nearest major airport is PIT, about 126 mi away.
How State College scores
Each bar compares State College with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is State College right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.