State College

State College is a home rule municipality in Centre County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a college town dominated economically, culturally and demographically by the presence of the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) In the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034 with approximately 105,000 living in the borough plus the surrounding townships often referred to locally as the "Centre Region" Many of these Centre Region communities also carry a "State College, PA" address although they are not part of the borough of State College. State College is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) above sea level. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Borough has a total area of 4.5 square miles (12 km²) It is surrounded by large tracts of farmland, and an expanse of Appalachian Mountain ranges and forests. Its location within a valley makes it prone to frequent rain and snowfall. Nittany Mountain is part of Pennsylvania's geologic ridge-and-valley province of the Appalachian Mountains. The area receives approximately 1.5 to 2 million annual visitors and boasts major festivals such as the Central Pennsylvania Festival for the Arts. Two major sections in State College include the Downtown Improvement District and University Park. Some significant neighborhoods include Highlands, Orchard Park, West End, College Heights, Holmes Foster, South State College, Tusseyview, Greentree, Nittan Hills and Penfield, and Vallamont. In 2022, the State College Borough Council changed the zoning regulations to deter dense housing developments.

History

State College evolved from a village to a town to serve the needs of the Pennsylvania State College, founded as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania in 1855. When Penn State changed its name from university to college in 1953, its president, Milton S. Eisenhower, sought to persuade the town to change its name as well. A referendum failed to yield a majority for any of the choices for a new name, and so the town remains State College. In 1973, State College adopted a home rule charter which took effect in 1976. Since then, it has not been governed by the state's Borough Code, although it retains "Borough of State College" as its official name. The university has a post office address University Park, Pennsylvania. The post office, which has since moved across an alley to the McAllister Building, is the official home of ZIP code 16802 (University Park). State College is home to the U.S. Post Office Department's HUB-Robeson Center, which is the home of the University of Pennsylvania's on-campus post office. The University of Penn State has a ZIP code address of 16802-16802. It is located in the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and has a population of 2,000. The state's largest city, Harrisburg is the largest city in the state, with a population in the region of 1,800,000, and is the second-largest city in Pennsylvania in terms of population.

Geography

State College is situated at an elevation of approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) above sea level. It is surrounded by large tracts of farmland, and an expanse of Appalachian Mountain ranges and forests. Two major sections in State College include the Downtown Improvement District and University Park. Some significant neighborhoods include Highlands, Orchard Park, West End, College Heights, Holmes Foster, South State College, Tusseyview, Greentree, Nittany Hills and Penfield, and Vallamont. State College is one of the densest cities of its population in the United States, primarily aided by the presence of numerous high-rises downtown along Beaver and College Avenues. The 2010s saw a construction boom downtown, with several mixed-use towers being developed, including the Rise, Metropolitan, Fraser Centre, and Here State College (a 15-floor tower on Garner Street), among other projects. In 2022, the State College Borough Council repealed changed the zoning regulations in state College to deter dense housing developments. Critics of the change said that it would lead to urban sprawl and make housing less affordable, whereas proponents of the zoning change said high-rise student housing was inconsistent with the "character" of the college town. The borough has a total area of 4.5 square miles (12 km²), all of it land. Its location within a valley makes it prone to frequent rain and snowfall. The area receives approximately 1.5 to 2 million annual visitors and boasts major festivals such as the Central Pennsylvania Festival for the Arts.

Climate

State College has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) Temperatures average 27.2 °F (2.7 °C) in January and 72.2°F (22.3 °C), on average, in July. Annual precipitation averages 41.53 inches (105 cm), with 43.8 inches (111 cm) of annual snowfall on average. Weather in State College is strongly influenced by the mountain and valley topology of the area. The surrounding mountains cause significantly lower temperatures in the winter, and make summer heat waves much rarer than in the rest of the state. Precipitation is about 20% lower than areas at comparable elevations, again due to the surrounding mountains. Snowfall typically occurs between October and April, but has happened as late as June. The lowest temperature recorded was 20 °F  on February 10, 1899 and the highest was 102 °F on July 17, 1988, and July 9, 1936. The highest temperature was 102 °F on July 17, 1988 and July 9, 1936, and the lowest was 20 °C (29 °F) on July 10, 1901. The average temperature in State College is 27.7°F in January and 22.3°F in July, with an average of 43.7 inches of snowfall per year. It is the only state in which the average temperature is higher than 27 °F in January.

Demographics

According to the 2010 census, there were 42,034 people, 12,610 households, and 3,069 families residing in the borough. The age distribution of the borough, overwhelmingly influenced by its student population, was 5.1% under the age of 18. The median income for a household in the Borough was $23,513. The per capita income for the borough was $13,336. 46.9% of the population and 9.8% of families were below the poverty line. The population of the State College Metropolitan Statistical Area was 153,990 in the 2010 U.S. census. The borough has a population of 22,681, or 54.0% of whom are males. A 2014 estimate had the racial makeup of the Borough as 78.9%, with 4.4% being Hispanic or Latino (of any race). The borough is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to New York. It is the only borough in the state that does not have a major airport. The town is home to the Pennsylvania State University, which has an enrollment of more than 2,000 students. It also has the University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts and Sciences, which offers a variety of programs and programs for the general public. The Borough's population is dominated by students, with 5.6% of its population aged 18 to 24, 13.5% from 25 to 44, 6.5 percent from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who are 65 and older.

Economy

Pennsylvania State University is the largest single employer in the region, employing over 27,000 full- and part-time workers in 2016. Other notable employers include the Federal Government (452 employees), YMCA (446 employees), Wegmans (430 employees), Shaner Corporation (380 employees), McDonald's (263 employees), Giant Food Stores (255 employees), Sheetz (251 employees), Foxdale Village (250 employees), State College Borough Government (213 employees), Minitab (211 employees), and Penn State Hershey Medical Group (200 employees). In addition to higher education, other industries in the area include health care, retail, hospitality services, construction, and government. The area is home to the Pennsylvania State University campus, which is located in State College, Pennsylvania. The campus is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs through the town of State College. The town is also home to Pennsylvania State University, which was founded in 1876. The city is also the home of Penn State College High School, which opened its doors in 1881. It is the oldest public high school in the state, with a population of over 2,000 students. It has a campus that opened in 1883. It was the site of Penn State Hershey Medical Group, which has over 200 employees. It also has a hospitality center, which opened in 1885. It also has a health care center, which opened in 1887. The region is home to the Pennsylvania State University, which began in 1888.

Arts and culture

The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, usually referred to as "Arts Fest", is held downtown every July. The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is a 46-hour Dance Marathon that takes place every February on the University Park campus. Blue-White Football Weekend occurs in April and includes a carnival, fireworks, food vendors, the student entertainment stage, live music, a parade, and more. Light Up State College organized 5,226 lighted ice luminaries that were displayed across South Allen Street in downtown State College on February 4, 2017. The previous record was held by Vuollerim, Sweden, with 2,652 ice Luminaries. State College became a Guinness World Record holder on February 3, 2017, with 5,225 lighted Ice Luminaries displayed across the city. The city's annual Fourth of July celebration includes fireworks, crafts, food Vendors and entertainers. The town's annual New Year's Eve celebration includes carved ice sculptures and musical performances that take place in the downtown area of State College. It is also known as "First Night State College" because of its annual ice sculpture celebration on the first night of the year. The school's football team holds an autograph session with student-athletes prior to kickoff of the Blue- white football intrasquad scrimmage game. On game day, an autographs session is held in Beaver Stadium, prior to kick-off of the game. A number of events throughout the year pave the way to February's THON weekend.

Sports

State College is most known for Penn State Nittany Lions football which draws over 100,000 fans to Beaver Stadium on home games. The borough itself is home to the State College Spikes, a minor league baseball team. Beaver Stadium has an official seating capacity of 106,572, making it currently the second largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere and the fourth largest in the world. The Pegula Ice Arena is a 6,014-seat multi-purpose arena in University Park, Pennsylvania, on the campus of Penn State University, opened on October 11, 2013, it replaced the 1,350-seat Penn State Ice Pavilion. There are miles of trails through Rothrock State Forest for the purposes of mountain biking and hiking. The Penn State Mountain Biking Association (NMBA) is active at maintaining and adding trails throughout the local state forest. There is a state park in State College, Pennsylvania that is used for hiking and mountain biking in the summer. The state park is also used by the Pennsylvania State University men's and women's soccer teams. It has a banked indoor track that of approximately 257 yards around or roughly 6.85 laps/mile. It was opened on January 15, 1929, and is still in use. It is also home to Penn State women's and men's volleyball teams, and Penn State men's wrestling teams. The State College State College women's basketball team is based in the borough and plays in Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The team is part of the New YorkPenn League and has played in Medler Field since 2006.

Government

At the federal level, State College is in Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, represented by Republican Fred Keller. At the county level, Centre County, Pennsylvania's county seat is in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. There are three county-level district courts within State College, with the others being Philipsburg, BelleFonte, and Centre Hall. The Borough of State College government is currently run by the following elected officials: Ezra Nanes, Jesse Barlow, Deanna Behring, and Peter Marshall. The borough is a member of the Centre Region Council of Governments (CRCOG). Other members are Ferguson Township, Halfmoon Township, Harris Township, and Patton Township. It is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to Delaware. It has a population of about 3,000. The town is located in the Centre County region of Pennsylvania, which is in the eastern part of the state. The state's largest city is Harrisburg, which has about 2,000 residents. It also has one of the largest concentrations of college students in the state, with about 1,000 students per town. The city is located near the Pennsylvania College State College, which also has 1,200 students. It is also home to the Pennsylvania University System, which has 1,400 students. State College's municipalities are: Phillipsburg, Bellefonte and Centre Hall, with a total population of 2,400.

Education

State College is served by the State College Area School District which operates nine elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in and around State College. Penn State University is located partially in the borough of State College and is located in the town's borough. State College is home to the American Philatelic Research Library and the Centre County Library Bookmobile. The Pennsylvania State University Libraries are located in State College's borough of Philipsburg. The State College Friends School is a non-sectarian, non-denominational public school. The School of Business & Technology is a state-funded private school with a focus on business and technology. The University of Penn State College is located in the borough of State College and is partly located in the town's borough Borough of Pleasant Village. The town is home to the American Philatelic Research Library and the Centre County Bookmobile. It is also the home of the Schlow Centre Region Library, a public library with a branch in the town's centre town village. It also has a branch of the Pennsylvania State University Library, which is part of the University of Penn State's borough and university of Pennsylvania campus. The College of Engineering and Technology is located part of State College and has a campus in the Borough of Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania. It also has a satellite campus in Philadelphia.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania = 39. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 92. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 80. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in State College = 3.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 44,762 individuals with a median age of 22.7 age the population grows by 7.78% in State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 8,846.88 residents per square mile of area (3,415.50/km²). There are average 2.25 people per household in the 12,696 households with an average household income of $23,883 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 4.80% of the available work force and has dropped -1.60% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 32.00%. The number of physicians in State College per 100,000 population = 210.8.

Weather

The annual rainfall in State College = 38.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 46 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 139. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 178. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 19.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 55, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in State College, Centre County, Pennsylvania which are owned by the occupant = 21.20%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 37 years with median home cost = $128,110 and home appreciation of 3.20%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $12.65 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $7,046 per student. There are 13.5 students for each teacher in the school, 603 students for each Librarian and 344 students for each Counselor. 3.22% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 29.07% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 39.16% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).