| Retirees in search of a friendly,
low stress, safe city might want to consider State
College in rural, central Pennsylvania (population
78,000 including surrounding
boroughs). Home to Penn State
University, State College is the quintessential
college town with a mix of shops, theaters,
restaurants, bookstores, etc. and is known as
"Happy Valley," surrounded by forested
rolling hills, streams and abundant
wildlife. This is a youthful place, its
identity completely wrapped up in the University,
but it has a lot to offer and is becoming popular
with retirees, who are, in fact, the fastest
growing section of the population. Of the
population, 7% is age 45 to 64, and 6% is age 65
or better. |
|
|
|
|
|
One of the nice things about State College is
that it has a cost of living that meets the national
average, something not always found in college
towns. The median home price is $215,0001.,
and real estate comes in all shapes and sizes.
Town homes and comfortable (around 1,500 sq. ft.)
ranch-style and bi-level style homes in average but
well-maintained neighborhoods can be found in the high-
$100,000s. The median price of $215,000 will
fetch up to 2,000 or so sq. ft., two to three bedrooms, two
baths and an attached garage. Homes in the mid- to
high-$200,000s, where inventory does seem to open up, have 2,000 to 3,000 sq. ft., three to four bedrooms, two to
three baths and an attached garage. In this price
bracket, lots are larger and neighborhoods are a little more
manicured. |
|
This being a college community, there are lots of
apartments; most are geared toward students, and the vacancy rate
is low, driving up rental prices Rents generally range from
$400 a month (not recommended) for a one bedroom to $1,600 a month
for a two bedroom (although we found apartments for $3,600 a
month, too). To stay out of student-dominated apartment
complexes, it is probably best to stick to the higher end of the
scale. State College property taxes work out to
roughly 1% of a home's fair market value. The annual taxes
on a $215,000 home would be about $2,100. Rebates of paid
property tax or rent, up to a maximum of $650 per year, are
available. To qualify, annual household eligibility income
must not exceed $35,000. The local sales tax is 6%.
State income tax is 3%.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click
on (more than once if necessary) the +/- signs to zoom in
and out.
Early settlers in this region included the
English, Germans, Mennonites, French Huguenots and Scotch-Irish
Presbyterians. Today most of them have been replaced by
college students, as much of life
in State College revolves around Penn State University, one of the
largest public universities in the county. The campus,
called University Park, is in the middle of town, covers nearly
5,500 acres and is the epicenter for 40,000 graduate and
undergraduate students, 3,000 faculty and 13,000 other
staff. The University is part of the Big 10 Conference for
most sports and has a highly successful athletic department.
Nittany Lion (the name of Penn State's teams) football games, in
particular, are big business and a fun way to spend autumn
Saturday afternoons. But Penn State and State
College are not just
about athletics. The Bryce Jordan Center presents
everything from concerts to rodeo competitions. The Center for the Performing Arts is the site of
ballets and recitals. The Palmer Museum of Art has revolving
and permanent exhibits. The Eisenhower Theater and the
Schwab Auditorium bring in string quartets, jazz ensembles and
solo artists from across the country, and the Central Pennsylvania
Festival of the Arts attracts thousands of visitors in July each year. There are lots of fun restaurants, shops, cafes
and bookstores to explore. In short, this is a lively spot
and for a city its size, it has an active cultural scene, offering
something for just about everyone. It also has the
Nittany Mall, home to more than 68 stores and
restaurants.
State
College, Pennsylvania, Continued...
1.
Moneycnn.com and Yahoo.com, 2008
Great Retirement Spots Newsletter is
published four times a month by Webwerxx, Inc. 2770 S. Elmira St.,
#152, Denver, CO 80231. (303) 358-0512. Copyright © 2006-2008.
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be
reproduced without the express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc. All
attempts were made to verify the accuracy of the information contained
in this bulletin, but some information may have changed since
publication. Webwerxx, Inc. cannot be held responsible for information
that has changed since this publication appeared online. Please contact us at staff@greatretirementspots.com
if you have questions or comments.
|
