City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

State College, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for State College - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

40,669
Residents
$47,132
Median income
$414,400
Median home
$1,406
Median rent (state)

State College - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, State College lands in the 15th percentile for household income and the 67th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

15th
percentile, household income
79th
percentile, home value
54th
percentile, median rent
67th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: State College, PA

State College is a small city in Pennsylvania, home to 40,669 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $47,132 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Home values in State College run a median of $414,400, and the median resident age is 21.4 years. 70.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 43.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. State College reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 917.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts State College's yearly average temperature at 50.1°F with 41.5 inches of precipitation per year and 43.8 inches of snowfall.

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Pennsylvania at 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,406 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Pennsylvania run around $260, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in State College report an average commute of 13.6 minutes, with 44.2% driving alone and 13.8% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 68.0 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

40,669 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$47,132 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does State College compare to other US cities?

Here's how State College stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 15% higher than other cities
Home value 79% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% pricier than other cities
Safety 67% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Pennsylvania and the picture shifts: State College ranks #215 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below State College's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Pennsylvania, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

15thIncome percentile
67thSafety percentile

15th percentile nationally for median household income · 67th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

State College's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

State College's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 39 Avg. percentile National median
State College's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How State College's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$414,400 21st percentile more affordable than 21% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. State College $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - State College, PA State College, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not State College, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution State College, PA median $47,132/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
State College, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for State College, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 70.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
40,669
Median Income
$47,132
Median Home Value
$414,400
Median Age
21.4
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
43.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
70.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
917.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
152.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
764.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.1°F
Annual Precipitation
41.5"
Annual Snowfall
43.8"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
40,600 residents40,800 residents41,000 residents41,200 residents41,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 40,749 residents 40,844 residents ▲ +0.2%
State College's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 2
2021 0
2022 294
2023 0
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.6 minutes
Drive Alone
44.2%
Carpool
2.8%
Public Transit
8.2%
Walk
26.8%
Work from Home
13.8%
Other
4.2%

Based on 15,490 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county State College sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,406/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
68.0 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Altoona
43,508 people
Wilkes-Barre
44,217 people
York
44,830 people
Norristown
35,782 people
Chester
33,209 people
Bethel Park
33,070 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to State College's 40,669 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Essex, MD
40,670 people
Westfield, MA
40,673 people
Cedar Falls, IA
40,662 people
Meadow Woods, FL
40,741 people
Annapolis, MD
40,744 people
Lancaster, TX
40,753 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to State College's $47,132 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Winner, SD
$47,132 median income
Wagner, SD
$47,137 median income
Rye, CO
$47,125 median income
Rankin, IL
$47,125 median income
Seatonville, IL
$47,122 median income
Larrabee, IA
$47,143 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - State College, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition State College, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.1% 10.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.0% White 80.1% Black or African American 3.7% Asian 10.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 5.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How State College compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
State College (this city) 40,669 $47,132
Altoona 43,508 $50,171
Wilkes-Barre 44,217 $47,970
York 44,830 $47,115
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about State College, PA?

What is the population of State College, PA? +

State College, PA counts 40,669 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in State College, PA? +

State College households earn a median of $47,132 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in State College? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for State College; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

Is State College, PA safe? +

State College has a total crime rate of 917.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in State College, PA? +

The median home value in State College is $414,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in State College? +

The average annual temperature in State College runs 50.1°F, 41.5 inches of precipitation, and 43.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.