What is the median rent in State College, PA?
The median gross rent in State College, PA is $1,273 (±$55) a month, according to the US Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
That is across 8,280 rented homes; gross rent is the contract rent plus the utilities and fuels a renter pays separately.
In State College, the median gross rent went from $1,054 in 2015–2019 to $1,273 in 2020–2024 (+20.8%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years; the change is not measurably different from the rise in prices.
Figures last updated on .
- Median gross rent
- $1,273 (±$55)
- Rented homes
- 8,280 (±483)
- $2,000 or more
- 15.1%
- Since 2015–2019
- +20.8%
How much rent costs in State College
| Monthly gross rent | State College | Centre County | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $500 | 3.2% (±2.3 points) | 5.4% | 8.3% | 6.3% |
| $500 to $999 | 19.6% (±4.3 points) | 26.1% | 26.4% | 20.2% |
| $1,000 to $1,499 | 47.7% (±5.3 points) | 40.2% | 32.9% | 28.1% |
| $1,500 to $1,999 | 14.4% (±3.7 points) | 15.4% | 19.3% | 21.1% |
| $2,000 to $2,499 | 6.3% (±2.1 points) | 6.0% | 7.7% | 12.0% |
| $2,500 to $2,999 | 3.7% (±2.0 points) | 2.7% | 2.6% | 5.5% |
| $3,000 or more | 5.1% (±2.0 points) | 4.2% | 2.8% | 6.8% |
The most common range is $1,000 to $1,499, paid by 47.7% of renting households.
15.1% of rented homes in State College cost $2,000 or more a month.
State College against Centre County, its state and the nation
| State College | Centre County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,273 (±$55) | $1,207 (±$27) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Rented homes paying rent | 8,280 (±483) | 21,744 (±814) | 1,530,443 (±10,042) | 42,849,984 |
In State College, median gross rent is higher than in Centre County ($1,207).
It is also higher than in Pennsylvania ($1,209).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
In Centre County, State College ranks 7 of 34 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median gross rent.
Statewide, it ranks 496 of 2,369.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How rent in State College has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,054 (±$38) | $1,273 (±$55) | +20.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 74.6% (±2.0 points) | 73.9% (±2.2 points) | −0.7 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.4% (±1.9 points) | 7.6% (±2.5 points) | +3.2 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median gross rent in places near State College
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College | — | $1,273 (±$55) | — |
| Lemont | 2.6 mi | $1,481 (±$1,152) | Not measurably different |
| College Township | 2.6 mi | $1,112 (±$352) | Not measurably different |
| Toftrees | 2.8 mi | $1,566 (±$224) | Higher |
| Park Forest Village | 2.8 mi | $1,331 (±$84) | Not measurably different |
| Patton Township | 4.3 mi | $1,386 (±$109) | Not measurably different |
| Boalsburg | 4.4 mi | $1,262 (±$289) | Not measurably different |
| Pine Grove Mills | 4.4 mi | $1,410 (±$575) | Not measurably different |
| Harris Township | 4.7 mi | $1,289 (±$238) | Not measurably different |
Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Toftrees, PA ($1,566).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median gross rent across Centre County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unionville | $1,523 (±$1,294) |
| 2 | Patton Township | $1,386 (±$109) |
| 3 | Ferguson Township (Centre County) | $1,315 (±$82) |
| 4 | Penn Township (Centre County) | $1,292 (±$490) |
| 5 | Harris Township | $1,289 (±$238) |
| 6 | Union Township (Centre County) | $1,278 (±$212) |
| 7 | State College | $1,273 (±$55) |
| 8 | Benner Township | $1,245 (±$647) |
| 9 | Haines Township | $1,163 (±$411) |
| 10 | Centre Hall | $1,154 (±$215) |
| 11 | College Township | $1,112 (±$352) |
| 12 | Milesburg | $1,104 (±$126) |
| 13 | Boggs Township (Centre County) | $1,084 (±$105) |
Showing 13 of 34 places in Centre County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about State College
What is the average rent in State College, PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in State College is $1,273 (±$55) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much has rent gone up in State College?
In State College, the median gross rent went from $1,054 in 2015–2019 to $1,273 in 2020–2024 (+20.8%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years; the change is not measurably different from the rise in prices.
How many rentals in State College cost more than $2,000 a month?
15.1% of rented homes in State College have a gross rent of $2,000 or more a month, and 3.2% cost less than $500.
Is rent in State College higher than in Centre County?
In State College, median gross rent is higher than in Centre County ($1,207).
It is also higher than in Pennsylvania ($1,209).
It is lower than the national figure ($1,413).
Is this the rent for an apartment listed today?
No: these are rents households reported paying across 2020–2024, not asking rents for vacant homes, which usually run higher.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — State College borough, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — State College borough, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — State College borough, Pennsylvania
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for State College borough, Pennsylvania (place:73808, in state:42).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B25064_001E, B25064_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP04_0126E, DP04_0126M, DP04_0127PE, DP04_0127PM, DP04_0128PE, DP04_0128PM, DP04_0129PE, DP04_0129PM, DP04_0130PE, DP04_0130PM, DP04_0131PE, DP04_0131PM, DP04_0132PE, DP04_0132PM, DP04_0133PE, DP04_0133PM
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
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- Pennsylvania landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Centre County
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