State College, Pennsylvania

"State College" redirects here. For other uses, see State College (disambiguation).

For the Penn State University campus, see University Park, Pennsylvania.

State College
Home rule municipality
Downtown State College Pennsylvania State University The Corner Room
Logo
Nicknames:  "Lion Country", "Happy Valley"
Interactive map of State College
State College Location within Pennsylvania State College Location within the United States
Coordinates: 40°47′37.144″N 77°51′45.563″W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Centre
Incorporated	August 29, 1896 (August 29, 1896)
Government
• Mayor	Ezra Nanes (D)
• Borough Council President	Evan Myers
Area
• Home rule municipality	4.58 sq mi (11.86 km2)
• Land	4.58 sq mi (11.86 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,154 ft (352 m)
Population  (2020)
• Home rule municipality	40,501
• Density	8,846/sq mi (3,415.5/km2)
• Urban	87,454 (US: 335th)
• Metro	MSA:158,742 (US: 257th) CSA: 236,577 (US: 124th)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	16801, 16802, 16803, 16804, 16805
Area code	814 and 582
FIPS code	42-73808
School district	State College Area School District
Website	www.statecollegepa.us

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State College is a borough and the largest settlement in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the largest borough in Pennsylvania, with a population of 40,501 as of the 2020 census. State College and the surrounding townships are collectively known as Happy Valley, which is part of the larger Nittany Valley. State College and the nearby city of DuBois anchor the State College–DuBois combined statistical area which includes all of Centre and Clearfield counties.

Several indigenous groups inhabited the State College area prior to European colonization. In 1855, ironmaster James Irvin offered 200 acres of land around the Centre Furnace for the construction of an agricultural school. Despite its isolation, the Nittany Valley was chosen to be the home of the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania in part due to its soil fertility. State College would officially become a borough in 1896, and would continue to grow alongside the university throughout the 20th century. The area was nicknamed "Happy Valley" for its economic resilience during the Great Depression. State College was also largely unaffected by the Great Recession, leading to a construction boom in the 21st century.

Major cultural institutions include the Palmer Museum of Art, the State Theatre, Schlow Library, and the Bryce Jordan Center. State College is home to University Park, which hosts Beaver Stadium, the second-largest stadium in the Western Hemisphere. The State College Spikes play for the MLB Draft League at Medlar Field. Public transport in the borough is operated by the Centre Area Transportation Authority. The State College Regional Airport connects the area to larger international airline hubs.

Governed by a home rule charter, State College largely votes for the Democratic Party, with Ezra Nanes serving as mayor since 2021.