Lebanon vs State College
Lebanon, Pennsylvania versus State College, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
State College edges out Lebanon on overall objective livability (54 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lebanon | State College |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $43k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $55k |
| Home Value | $126k | $383k |
| Monthly Rent | $959 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.68% | 1.15% |
| Income Tax | 4.85% | 4.95% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.41% | 17.18% |
| Unemployment | 10.0% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 27°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.4 in | 41.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.0 in | 43.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 223 days | 200 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.8 | 5.4 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.6 | 94.9 |
| Violent Crime | 64/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 253/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 26,679 | 40,902 |
| Median Age | 38.5 | 21.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.19 |
| Political Leaning | R+32 | Even |
| White (%) | 48.9% | 80.3% |
| Black (%) | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 43.9% | 4.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 10.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.8% | 2.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 10.5/20 | 16.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 70 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 80.4% | 85.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.99 | 80.93 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lebanon or State College more affordable?
- Lebanon has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Lebanon's $48k and State College's $55k. Median rent is $959 in Lebanon versus $1k in State College.
- Is Lebanon or State College safer?
- State College has the lower violent crime rate. Lebanon reports 64/100k and State College reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lebanon or State College?
- The median home value is $126k in Lebanon and $383k in State College, so homes are more affordable in Lebanon.