|
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
University Park, Pa. -- Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine has named
State College, home to Penn State's University Park campus, among its
"50 Smart Places to Live." State College ranked 19th on the list that
sought out the nation's most fun, vibrant and affordable cities and took
into account factors such as the housing market, access to health care,
a strong economy and quality of life factors such as cultural and
recreational activities.
Penn State, with more than 40,000 University Park students, is a major
driver behind the State College area's success. A 2004 study revealed
the University Park campus, which employs more than 22,000 people, has a
total economic impact of $3.3 billion. Penn State also provides major
cultural and athletic outlets. With top programs such as the Big Ten
Champion Nittany Lion football team and facilities such as the Bryce
Jordan Center and the 107,282-seat Beaver Stadium, Penn State athletics
consistently rank among the best in the nation. The new Medlar Field at
Lubrano Park on campus will bring a professional minor league baseball
team to State College while also providing a top-flight facility for
Penn State baseball. Meanwhile, venues ranging from the Jordan Center to
Eisenhower Auditorium to the Penn State Downtown Theatre host a broad
array of national and international performing acts in music, theater,
comedy and more.
Sperling's BestPlaces research group has previously ranked State College
the No.1 safest small city in America, and Forbes, thanks in large part
to the tremendous amount of research conducted at the University, listed
State College among the top 10 smaller metro areas in which to start a
career or business.
 Here are some enticing vital stats for the State College metropolitan area, which we found on the Best Places to Live index at http://money.cnn.com/best/bplive/bplive_allcities.html. Our comments are italicized in parentheses ...
Population: 135,758
(Big-city sophistication in a cozy, small-city/semi-rural environment!)
Average annual days with some precipitation: 122
(Nothing like some precip to keep the region beautifully green!)
 Annual sunny days: 180
(And gorgeous they are, too!)
Annual snowfall: 48 inches
(Strap on your skis and hit the slopes!)
Average high temp in July: 82.6°
(Those steamy, dreamy days of summer!)
 Average low temp in January: 19.8°
(Perfect for outdoor romps or indoor entertainment!)
Personal crime risk: One-third the national average
(No big-city crime wave here!)
Property crime risk: One-half the national average
(Fewer worries! Be happy in Happy Valley!)
Median home price (municipality only): $118,900
(About $10 grand less than the national average! Ah, the siren song of affordable housing!)
 Spending per school student: $6,608
(Well above the national average! A great education awaits your kids!)
Unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted): 2.7%
(Among the lowest anywhere!)
Health-care costs: Below the national average
(Affordable health care!)
Quality of life - arts: Nearly twice the national average
(Wonderful museums and artistic events!)
Additional statistical info about State College can be found at www.bestplaces.net.
|
