State College is home to 41,050 people in Pennsylvania. The median age is 21.2, younger than the US median of 38.9. 68% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Owners hold 26% of the housing stock. 53% were living in the same home a year earlier. 38.1% of locals live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $45,424, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 21.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
68% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 63%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about State College
What changed most since 1990
Poverty rate45.4% → 38.1%(−7.3 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
White share87.4% → 76.0%(−11.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Hispanic share1.6% → 6.1%(+4.5 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
State College's population equals 26% of Centre County's. Its number of veterans equals 10% of the county's. Its number of residents 65 and older equals 11% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)39.4%(268)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.2%(83)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.9%(183)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4%(27)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II5%(34)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 680 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
State College, decade by decade
State College population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
38,923
$43,818
$274,088
68.2%
28.6
2000
38,420
$38,594
$268,876
69.2%
37.8
2010
42,034
$33,825
$342,236
66.0%
42.1
2020
40,501
$46,150
$402,518
72.1%
48.8
2024
41,050
$45,424
$437,800
68.4%
50.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
