State College receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
State College
Athens-Clarke County
Opportunity
88 · Top 1%
vs83 · Top 5%
Growth
67 · Top 23%
vs63 · Top 30%
Climate
61 · Bottom 33%
vs72 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 5%
vs71 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
81 · Bottom 22%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Access
55 · Bottom 17%
vs57 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 23%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | State College | Athens-Clarke County | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 158,576 | 220,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,291 | $65,608 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,316 | $37,279 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 143/sq mi | 215/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $323,500 | $310,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,207 | $1,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 55.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 5.6% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.2% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 481 | 924 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 54.2% | -40.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 49.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 75 mi | 73 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 33.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
State College
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Athens-Clarke County
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
State College
68
Your Score
76
Area Score
Athens-Clarke County
67
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: State College, PA Metro Area · Athens-Clarke County, GA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology