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
Sandusky
Opportunity
88 · Top 1%
vs74 · Top 18%
Growth
67 · Top 23%
vs49 · Bottom 49%
Climate
61 · Bottom 33%
vs68 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 5%
vs81 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
81 · Bottom 22%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
55 · Bottom 17%
vs74 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 23%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | State College | Sandusky | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 158,576 | 114,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,291 | $73,502 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,316 | $43,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 143/sq mi | 226/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $323,500 | $207,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,207 | $932 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 76.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 5.6% | 1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.2% | 29.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 481 | 349 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 54.2% | 23.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 34.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 75 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 47.1 | 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.
Sandusky
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
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
Sandusky
71
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: State College, PA Metro Area · Sandusky, OH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology