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Centre County

#5 in Best Counties to Live in Pennsylvania
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • County in Pennsylvania
  • 6 reviews
    A
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      B+
    2. Housing
      B
    3. Nightlife
      A
    4. Good for Families
      A
    5. Diversity
      B-
    6. Jobs
      B+
    7. Weather
      C+
    8. Cost of Living
      C+
    9. Health & Fitness
      A
    10. Outdoor Activities
      A
    11. Commute
      A+
    View Full Report Card
    Centre County is located in Pennsylvania with a population of 161,443. Centre County is one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania. In Centre County, most residents own their homes. In Centre County there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many young professionals live in Centre County and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Centre County are above average.
    Population
    161,443

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $220,500
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $966
    National
    $949
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      38%
    • Own
      62%
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    Centre County Rankings

    Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

    Crime & Safety

    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      40.5
      282.7
    • Murder
      1.8
      6.1
    • Rape
      10.8
      40.7
    • Robbery
      11.7
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      71.9
      500.1
    • Theft
      857.6
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      11.7
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    B-
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      8%
    • 10-17 years
      7%
    • 18-24 years
      24%
    • 25-34 years
      14%
    • 35-44 years
      10%
    • 45-54 years
      11%
    • 55-64 years
      11%
    • 65+ years
      13%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      21%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      23%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      20%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      30%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      6%
      13%

    Working in Centre County

    Jobs
    B+
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $58,055
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools

      Centre County Reviews

      6 reviews
      All Categories
      Centre County is an amazing town! It is a safe area with many work, dining, and social opportunities.
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      It is a big county, and most of the population is located on the far southeastern side where Penn State is. Once you get out of the immediate State College area it is just wilderness, which is actually quite pretty. The rural roads are sometimes very tricky to navigate and are often narrow with heavy traffic (where it comes from, I have no idea). Sometimes you will have no radio or cell phone signal outside of State College or Bellefonte. If you like farms, rolling hills and trees, Centre County is for you! If you are a big city person...you may not have a good time.
      Centre County is very nice if you're looking for a rural community. The people who live in Centre County year round are a very close knit community, and the people tend to be very friendly. The largest town is State College, so there aren't very many places to shop compared to more urban areas. With most of one's shopping needing to be done in State College, it is a long drive for people on the outer edges of Centre County to get to stores.