State College, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
State College
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Home rule municipality
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Pennsylvania State University Main campus
Campus buildings on Burrowes Road
Campus building spanning across Atherton Street at White Course
Downtown State College
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| Nickname(s):
"Lion Country", "Happy Valley"
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Centre |
| Incorporated | August 29, 1896 |
| Area | |
| • Home rule municipality | 4.58 sq mi (11.86 km2) |
| • Land | 4.58 sq mi (11.86 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,154 ft (352 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Home rule municipality | 40,501 |
| • Density | 8,846.88/sq mi (3,415.50/km2) |
| • Urban | 87,454 (US: 335th) |
| • Metro | MSA:158,742 (US: 257th) CSA: 236,577 (US: 124th) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
16801, 16802, 16803, 16804, 16805
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| Area code | 814 and 582 |
| FIPS code | 42-73808 |
| School district | State College Area School District |
_near_White_Course_Drive_in_State_College,_Pennsylvania.jpg)
State College is a town in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's known as a college town because it's greatly influenced by Pennsylvania State University's University Park campus. The university affects the town's economy, culture, and population.
State College is the biggest town in Pennsylvania that is called a "borough." It's the main town among six communities that form the State College area. This area is the largest settlement in Centre County. It's also a major part of the larger State College–DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area, which had about 236,577 people in 2010. In 2010, the town itself had 42,034 people. About 105,000 people live in the town and nearby areas, often called the Centre Region. Many places in the Centre Region use a "State College, PA" address, even if they are not part of the borough. The names Happy Valley and Lion Country also refer to the State College area. This includes the borough and nearby townships like College, Harris, Patton, and Ferguson.
Contents
History of State College
State College grew from a small village. It was created to serve the needs of Pennsylvania State College. This college started in 1855 as Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania. State College officially became a borough on August 29, 1896. It has grown along with the college, which changed its name to The Pennsylvania State University in 1953.
In 1973, State College adopted a special rulebook for how it would be governed. This rulebook took effect in 1976. Since then, it has managed itself, but it still officially uses the name "Borough of State College."
The university has its own post office address, University Park, Pennsylvania. When the college became a university in 1953, its president, Milton S. Eisenhower, wanted the town to change its name too. However, people voted, and no new name got enough votes. So, the town remained State College. After this, Penn State asked the U.S. Postal Service for a new name for its on-campus post office. This post office is the official home of ZIP Code 16802 for University Park.
Geography and Location
Where is State College?
State College is located about 1,154 feet (352 meters) above sea level. The U.S. Census Bureau says the town covers about 4.5 square miles (11.86 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the borough. The town is surrounded by large farms and the Appalachian Mountain ranges and forests. Because it is in a valley, it often gets rain and snow. Mount Nittany is a part of Pennsylvania's mountains. State College is also near the geographic center of Pennsylvania.
Key Areas and Neighborhoods
State College has two main parts: the Downtown Improvement District and University Park. Some important neighborhoods include Highlands, Orchard Park, West End, and College Heights.
Downtown State College
Downtown State College is the main area for shopping and culture. About 1.5 to 2 million people visit this area each year. It hosts big events like the Central Pennsylvania Festival for the Arts. Downtown State College has a population of 4,417 people. Recent years have seen many new buildings go up downtown. These buildings often have shops on the ground floor, offices above, and apartments on the top floors.
University Park Campus
University Park is the largest campus of Penn State University. It is also the official postal address for the university. Famous places here include Old Main, Rec Hall, the Nittany Lion Shrine, the Palmer Museum of Art, and the Penn State Creamery. Large sports venues like Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center are also part of University Park.
Highlands Neighborhood
The Highlands area was added to State College between 1909 and 1932. It was popular because it was close to the post office. Many large houses were built there to attract student groups called fraternities. Smaller houses were also built. After World War II, the area grew to make room for soldiers returning home. Today, the Highlands is the most populated neighborhood in the borough, with 9,726 people. Most residents (77%) are between 18 and 24 years old.
Other Neighborhoods
- Orchard Park is a residential area with many college students and young professionals. It has two parks and is near a shopping center.
- West End is close to the university's west campus. Most people living here rent their homes.
- College Heights is a neighborhood and historic area north of campus. Many families of university staff and students live here because it's so close to the campus.
- Holmes–Foster is another historic area.
- South State College is a triangular-shaped area that started growing around World War II.
- Tusseyview is south of South State College and has three parks.
- Greentree is a neighborhood between Holmes–Foster and Orchard Park.
- Nittany Hills and Penfield are two parts of the same neighborhood.
- Vallamont is a small neighborhood east of the Highlands.
Climate and Weather
| Weather chart for State College | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2.7
34
20
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2.5
38
22
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3.4
46
28
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3.2
60
39
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3.5
70
49
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4.1
78
59
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3.5
82
63
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3.8
80
61
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3.7
72
53
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3.1
61
42
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3.4
50
34
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2.9
38
25
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: Pennsylvania State Climatologist |
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Metric conversion
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State College has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. Temperatures average about 27.2°F (−2.7°C) in January and 72.2°F (22.3°C) in July. The town gets about 41.53 inches (105.5 cm) of rain each year. It also gets about 43.8 inches (111 cm) of snow on average. The coldest temperature ever recorded was −20°F (−29°C) in 1899. The hottest was 102°F (39°C) in 1988 and 1936.
The mountains around State College greatly affect its weather. They cause colder temperatures in winter. They also make very hot summer days less common than in other parts of Pennsylvania. The mountains also lead to less rain, about 20% less than similar areas. Snow usually falls between October and April, but it has snowed as late as June.
| Climate data for State College, Pennsylvania (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
74 (23) |
86 (30) |
94 (34) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
102 (39) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
90 (32) |
81 (27) |
71 (22) |
102 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 56.5 (13.6) |
58.9 (14.9) |
69.0 (20.6) |
81.3 (27.4) |
86.7 (30.4) |
89.2 (31.8) |
91.0 (32.8) |
89.3 (31.8) |
85.9 (29.9) |
78.1 (25.6) |
68.7 (20.4) |
58.2 (14.6) |
92.4 (33.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.9 (1.1) |
36.8 (2.7) |
45.6 (7.6) |
59.2 (15.1) |
69.4 (20.8) |
77.0 (25.0) |
81.1 (27.3) |
79.3 (26.3) |
72.3 (22.4) |
60.7 (15.9) |
48.8 (9.3) |
38.4 (3.6) |
58.5 (14.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 27.2 (−2.7) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
37.0 (2.8) |
49.3 (9.6) |
59.8 (15.4) |
68.1 (20.1) |
72.2 (22.3) |
70.4 (21.3) |
63.2 (17.3) |
51.9 (11.1) |
41.2 (5.1) |
32.2 (0.1) |
50.1 (10.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.5 (−6.4) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
39.4 (4.1) |
50.3 (10.2) |
59.3 (15.2) |
63.3 (17.4) |
61.6 (16.4) |
54.1 (12.3) |
43.0 (6.1) |
33.5 (0.8) |
26.0 (−3.3) |
41.7 (5.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 2.8 (−16.2) |
5.6 (−14.7) |
11.6 (−11.3) |
25.8 (−3.4) |
36.4 (2.4) |
45.9 (7.7) |
52.9 (11.6) |
51.1 (10.6) |
41.2 (5.1) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
20.4 (−6.4) |
11.3 (−11.5) |
0.5 (−17.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −18 (−28) |
−20 (−29) |
−9 (−23) |
1 (−17) |
27 (−3) |
34 (1) |
40 (4) |
30 (−1) |
28 (−2) |
16 (−9) |
1 (−17) |
−13 (−25) |
−20 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.92 (74) |
2.46 (62) |
3.38 (86) |
3.51 (89) |
3.64 (92) |
4.09 (104) |
3.79 (96) |
4.16 (106) |
3.95 (100) |
3.46 (88) |
2.99 (76) |
3.18 (81) |
41.53 (1,055) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.3 (29) |
11.6 (29) |
9.4 (24) |
0.9 (2.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
2.6 (6.6) |
7.6 (19) |
43.8 (111) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 13.6 | 11.4 | 12.0 | 13.6 | 14.5 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 11.2 | 10.7 | 11.4 | 10.5 | 12.8 | 146.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 8.4 | 7.3 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 5.6 | 28.6 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of State College
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 851 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,425 | 67.5% | |
| 1920 | 2,405 | 68.8% | |
| 1930 | 4,450 | 85.0% | |
| 1940 | 6,226 | 39.9% | |
| 1950 | 17,227 | 176.7% | |
| 1960 | 22,409 | 30.1% | |
| 1970 | 32,833 | 46.5% | |
| 1980 | 36,130 | 10.0% | |
| 1990 | 38,923 | 7.7% | |
| 2000 | 38,420 | −1.3% | |
| 2010 | 42,034 | 9.4% | |
| 2020 | 40,501 | −3.6% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2010, State College had 42,034 people living there. Most residents (83.2%) were White. About 9.8% were Asian, and 3.8% were Black or African American. About 3.9% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. The population is mostly young, with 70.6% of people aged 18 to 24. This is because of the large student population from Penn State University.
Economy and Jobs
Pennsylvania State University is the biggest employer in the State College area. It employs over 27,000 full-time and part-time workers. Other important industries in the area include healthcare, retail stores, hotels and restaurants, construction, and government jobs.
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania State University | 27,029 |
| 2 | Mount Nittany Medical Center | 2,365 |
| 3 | State College Area School District | 1,792 |
| 4 | Government of Pennsylvania | 1,704 |
| 5 | Walmart | 732 |
| 6 | Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. (construction) | 700 |
| 7 | HRI Inc. (asphalt contractor) | 692 |
| 8 | Weis Markets | 631 |
| 9 | Centre County Government | 586 |
| 10 | Geisinger Medical Group | 563 |
Arts, Culture, and Fun Events
Popular Events in State College
- Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts: This event, often called "Arts Fest," happens downtown every July. It lasts for five days and brings in over 125,000 visitors. Streets are closed, and artists sell paintings, pottery, and jewelry. There are also music shows, plays, and food vendors.
- Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON): This is a 46-hour dance marathon held every February at the University Park campus. Its goal is to raise money for the Four Diamonds Foundation, which helps children with cancer. Many events throughout the year lead up to THON weekend.
- Blue-White Football Weekend: This happens in April and includes a carnival, fireworks, food, live music, and a parade. On game day, football players sign autographs before a special scrimmage game at Beaver Stadium.
- Other Annual Events:
- "First Night State College" is a New Year's Eve party downtown with ice sculptures and music.
- "Central PA 4th Fest" is a day-long event for the Fourth of July with fireworks, crafts, food, and entertainment.
In 2017, State College set a Guinness World Record. They displayed 5,226 lighted ice luminaries (lanterns) on South Allen Street. This was the most ice luminaries in one place at that time.
Sports in State College
State College is famous for Penn State Nittany Lions football. Over 100,000 fans come to Beaver Stadium for home games. The town also has the State College Spikes, a minor league baseball team. They play at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Penn State also has top-level teams in basketball, ice hockey, soccer, volleyball, and wrestling.
Sports Venues
- Jeffrey Field: This is a soccer stadium where the Penn State Nittany Lions women's soccer and Penn State Nittany Lions men's soccer teams play.
- Rec Hall: Opened in 1929, this building on the University Park campus is home to Penn State's men's and women's volleyball teams and wrestling team.
- Pegula Ice Arena: This arena opened in 2013 and has 6,014 seats. It is where Penn State's hockey teams play.
- Beaver Stadium: This outdoor stadium is home to the Penn State Nittany Lions. It is one of the largest stadiums in the world, with seats for 106,572 fans.
- Rothrock State Forest: This forest has many miles of trails for mountain biking and hiking, maintained by the Nittany Mountain Biking Association.
Education in State College
Public Schools
State College is served by the State College Area School District. This district has eight elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in and around State College.
Charter Schools
- Centre Learning Community Charter School
- Nittany Valley Charter School
- State College Area Delta Program
- Wonderland Charter School
- Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School
Private Schools
- Children's House Montessori School
- The Goddard School
- Grace Prep High School
- Kinder Station
- Nittany Christian School
- Our Children's Center Montessori School
- Our Lady of Victory Catholic School
- Park Forest Montessori School
- St. John Catholic School
- Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy
- State College Friends School
Colleges and Universities
- Penn State University has a large part of its campus within the borough of State College.
- South Hills School of Business & Technology offers specialized training.
Libraries
State College has several libraries, including:
- American Philatelic Research Library
- Centre County Library & Historical Museum
- Pennsylvania State University Libraries (like Pattee and Paterno Libraries)
- Schlow Centre Region Library
Media and News
State College has a daily newspaper called Centre Daily Times. There's also a weekly version called Centre Weekly. Centre County Gazette is another local newspaper. Penn State University's campus has student-run newspapers like The Forum and Daily Collegian. Onward State is a student-run online blog.
Several magazines are published in State College, such as State College Magazine and Town & Gown Magazine.
State College is part of a television market that includes Johnstown and Altoona. Local TV stations include WPSU-TV (PBS) and WHVL-LD (MyNetworkTV). C-NET is a local government and education TV network. Other stations like WATM-TV (ABC), WJAC-TV (NBC), WTAJ-TV (CBS), and WWCP-TV (FOX) also have offices in State College.
Getting Around State College
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State College is located where Interstate 99/U.S. Route 220 and U.S. Route 322 meet. These roads connect State College to other cities like Altoona and Harrisburg. U.S. Route 322 Business goes through State College on Atherton Street. Pennsylvania Route 26 also passes through the town.
Parking downtown is managed by meters, parking lots, and garages. In residential areas, you need a special permit to park for long periods.
Many people in State College walk to work. In 2009, State College was among the top ten U.S. cities for the percentage of people who walked to work (8%).
The town has a local bus service called the Centre Area Transportation Authority. For air travel, there's the State College Regional Airport. Buses like Fullington Trailways, Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and OurBus offer rides to cities like New York City, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. State College does not have passenger train service.
Notable People from State College
Many interesting people have been born, raised, or lived in State College.
Sports Figures
- Chris Bahr – former NFL football player and soccer player
- Stan Belinda – former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Channing Crowder – former NFL linebacker for the Miami Dolphins
- Larry Johnson – NFL running back
- Jordan Norwood – NFL wide receiver, set a Super Bowl record for punt return
- Matt Rhule – football coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Matt Suhey – former NFL fullback for the Chicago Bears
- Myles Thomas – former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Guard Young – gymnast, three-time member of the U.S. gymnastics team
Other Notable People
- Ian Hendrickson-Smith – jazz saxophonist
- Si Kahn – singer-songwriter and political activist
- Joshua Leonard – film actor, known for The Blair Witch Project
- Carol Mansell – television and film actress
- Gretchen Morgenson – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
- Adam Ragusea – YouTuber who makes videos about food
- Doug Sweetland – animator for Pixar
- John Taylor – lead guitarist for the Jonas Brothers
Former Residents
- Walter Bahr – former professional soccer player and coach
- Joe Paterno – famous former Penn State football head coach
- Russ Rose – Penn State volleyball coach
- Abhay Ashtekar – Professor of Physics at Penn State
- Sarah Koenig – journalist, host of the podcast Serial
- Michael Mann – climatologist and geophysicist
- Joel Myers – founder of AccuWeather
- Tawni O'Dell – novelist
- Sue Paterno – philanthropist, wife of Joe Paterno
- Fred Waring – musician and bandleader
Images for kids
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Old Main Building in State College
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Holmes–Foster–Highlands Historic District in State College
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Interstate 99 in State College
See also
In Spanish: State College (Pensilvania) para niños
