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 State College, Pennsylvania
"State College" redirects here. For other uses, see State College (disambiguation).
State College, Pennsylvania, is a borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre county. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 38,420, (estimated 38,720 in 2007) and roughly double that total lived in the borough plus the surrounding townships. Of that population, 20,011 or 52.1% are males and 18,409 or 47.9% are females.City Data. The town is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of the main campus of the Pennsylvania State University, more often referred to as Penn State. Happy Valley is an often-used term to refer to the State College area, including the borough and the townships of College, Harris, Patton, and Ferguson. The area is served by University Park Airport.
HistoryState College evolved from village to town to serve the needs of the fledgling Pennsylvania State College, founded as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania in 1855. Since then, the school has grown into a major university, renamed in 1953 The Pennsylvania State University, also known as Penn State. State College was incorporated as a borough on August 29, 1896 and has since grown with the university. Borough and university share a symbiotic relationship. In 1973 State College adopted a home rule charter which took effect in 1976. The areas outside of State College are filled with historic towns and villages, immense tracts of farmland, and an expanse of mountains and forests. The university has a post office address of University Park, PA, which is sometimes a cause for confusion. When Penn State changed its name from College to University 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. After this, Penn State requested a new name for its on-campus post office in the Hetzel Union Building from the U.S. Post Office Department. The post office, which has since moved across a street to the McAllister Building, is the official home of zip code 16802 (University Park). The new zip code was granted directly by President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the request of his younger brother Milton S. Eisenhower . General information
Geography and climate
State College is at Temperatures in State College average 27 °F (−3 °C) in January and 71 °F (22 °C) in July. Annual precipitation is about 39 inches (99 cm), and 46.3 inches of snow a year falls in the city (Based on official 109-year average of snowfall at State College as per National Weather Service's State College office).
DemographicsAs of the census of 2000, there were 38,420 people, 12,024 households, and 3,306 families residing in the borough. The population density was 8,459.3 people per square mile (3,267.4/km²). There were 12,488 housing units at an average density of 2,749.6/sq mi (1,062.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 84.31% White, 3.69% African American, 0.15% Native American, 8.77% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.38% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 3.02% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 12,024 households out of which 10.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.4% were married couples living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 72.5% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.69. The age distribution of State College, overwhelmingly influenced by Penn State, was: 5.8% under the age of 18, 65.5% from 18 to 24, 16.2% from 25 to 44, 6.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 108.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.1 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $21,186, and the median income for a family was $54,949. Males had a median income of $34,388 versus $27,219 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $12,155. 46.9% of the population and 9.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10.6% of those under the age of 18 and 2.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. However, traditional measures of poverty can be very misleading when applied to a community like State College which is dominated by students. CultureHappy Valley"Happy Valley" is sometimes used as shorthand for State College, Pennsylvania. Commentators referring to Penn State athletic events often give the location as "Happy Valley" rather than mentioning State College or the specific campus facility. 
In a survey conducted in the late 1980s by Psychology Today, State College was ranked as one of the least stressful places in the United States. A more recent rating put State College 19th among "50 Smart Places to Live." The same source states: "Sperling's BestPlaces research group has previously ranked State College the No.1 safest small city in America, and Forbes, thanks in large part to the tremendous amount of research conducted at the University, listed State College among the top 10 smaller metro areas in which to start a career or business." In 2007, CNN Money said State College was the number one "single" city based on percentage of unmarried people living there. Even more statistics about State College are available at: http://www.bestplaces.net/zip-code/?zip=16801&city=State_College_PA[4]. In the August issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, State College received honorable mention in best music scenes throughout the country. Bands formed in State College include Axum, The Bullet Parade Cootie Brown, The Earthtones, Emily's Toybox, Holy Mary, Mother of Bert, Katsu, The Nightcrawlers, Blasting Trout Overbite, Queen Bee and the Blue Hornet Band, and The Rustlanders. Otto's Pub & Brewery, located in State College, was voted #37 on the "Top 50 Places to Have A Pint" in the United States in 2003 by BeerAdvocate.com. In addition to this, the 2006 survey listed Zeno's Pub, a local bar, in the top 50 as well. Ye Olde College Diner, located in State College, was voted #3 on the "Best Places to Eat a Sticky Bun" in the United States in 2005 by Pastrypoll.com. It is a place of Penn State tradition that dates back to 1929. The diner serves grilled stickeys. Many alumni come back here well after they have graduated from Penn State. The Diner was closed briefly in August 2007 by Centre County due to health code violations, but re-opened after five days. Baby's Burgers & Shakes is a 50's style diner located down town, and was once featured in a Visa commercial, saying that they don't accept American Express. There are dozens more interesting restaurants and bars unique to State College, most of which are concentrated in the down town area. The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, usually referred to simply as Arts Fest, is held down town every July. The 5 day long festival features artists from around the country and draws more than 125,000 visitors. Many streets are closed off and lined with booths where people can buy paintings, pottery, jewelry, and a variety of other hand made goods. There are also numerous musical performances and plays to take in, and food vendors selling everything from funnel cakes to Indian cuisine. Famous people from State College
Points of interest
Media
MagazinesWeb mediaTelevisionState College is part of the Johnstown/Altoona/State College television market, which is currently ranked #98 in the nation.
RadioThe State College, PA radio market is ranked #255 in the nation. The following box contains a list of radio stations in State College.
EntertainmentLocal bars include:
Sports
Collegiate sports/NCAACorrectional facilityState College is located not far from the State Correctional Institution - Rockview, which is known as the state penitentiary, or the "state pen" (Source: , reference to "state pen" being near Penn State). EconomyMajor employers
ShoppingRetailState College has many shopping areas, most notably:
Government and politicsFederal levelAt the federal level, State College forms part of Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district. The current incumbent is John E. Peterson. County levelAt 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 current county-level districts are divided as follows, all of which are common pleas courts. The jurisdictions include civil claims and summary offenses. Higher level courts are located in neighboring Bellefonte.
Regional levelThe Borough of State College is a member of the Center Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) Other Members are
Local levelAt the local level, the Borough of State College government is currently run by the following elected officials, based on the 2007 election results:
Law enforcement The law enforcement arm of the Borough of State College is the State College Police Department, served by Chief Thomas R. King. Fire protectionThe Alpha Fire Company operates out of 3 station and responds with 5 engines, 2 trucks, 1 heavy rescue and 2 tankers. The Departments annual run total is around 1000. The Alpha Fire is an All Volunteer Fire Company, arguably the largest the state when you factor in the size and population of Penn State. The Fire is led by 5 chiefs, 3 captains, and other various officers. The fire company operates under the Centre Region Council of Governments under the direction of Fire Director Steve Bair. EducationPublic schoolsState College is served by the State College Area School District. Private schoolsThere are also a variety of private schools, including the State College Friends School Nittany Christian School and Our Lady of Victory Catholic school. Higher educationOther colleges near State College
LibrariesState College is served by the following libraries:
Hospitals
InfrastructureRoadsState College is served by:
AirportThe closest airport is the University Park Airport. Mass transportation
See alsoBorough of State College Government website
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