Real Estate Investing in State College, Pennsylvania (16801)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Centre County • Population: 42,153 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 16801 (State College, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (51/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 10.3% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in State College, PA (16801)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $420,679
Avg Monthly Rent $1,838
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $59,296
% Renters 56.2%

Market Analysis: 16801 State College

ZIP 16801 inside Centre County looks affordable on the surface — median value of $421K — but the discount exists for reasons that a careful buyer should understand before committing.

The 16801 ZIP can work — but only with a tight operating hand. Remote landlords and passive investors tend to struggle here more than the underwriting suggests.

From an investor standpoint, 16801 offers a low basis, the region around State College has moved on in ways that the ZIP itself has not fully absorbed. The result is a discount with genuine reasons.

Resident income in 16801 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

appears to the ZIP is not uninvestable, but it is unforgiving. Section 8 landlords, local operators, and specialized value-add funds are the investor types that tend to succeed.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in State College:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 59/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,838/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
State College, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
34 days
Average time to sell
Average
9.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from State College, PA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 16801

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
1BR
4.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+4.9% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$120,809/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $212,664 $1,280 4.3% +3.6% $212,664
2BR $296,414 $1,510 3.7% +4.4% $148,207
3BR $382,988 $1,890 3.6% +4.9% $127,663
4BR $508,296 $2,000 2.8% +4.5% $127,074
5BR $604,043 +4.5% $120,809

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$438K$387K$336K$284K$233K$182KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,144$2,030$1,916$1,801$1,687$1,573Aug 2021Feb 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 16801 Compare?

Metric 16801 State College State College, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $420,679 $282,235 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 4.2% 4.1% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,838 $1,827 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.4% 3.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 16801? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

56% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 16801 (State College, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Centre County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Nittany Property Management. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.2%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on State College, PA metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
40%
Days Pending
0/2
34 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $420,679
Monthly Rent $1,838
Price-to-Rent 19.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.2%
Cap Rate 3.4%
5-Year IRR 7.6%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +3.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -9.9% ▼
3-Year CAGR -0.7% ▼
5-Year CAGR +1.6% ▲
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.4%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
10.3%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.2%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 16801

Population: 42,153

💰 Median Household Income
$59,296
This area
$59,296
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
56.2%
This area
56.2%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.4%
This area
2.4%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
67.0%
This area
67.0%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
26.3 years
This area
26.3 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
10.3%
This area
10.3%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 83.6%
Asian 8.7%
Other/Mixed 5.4%
Hispanic/Latino 2.6%
Black/African American 2.4%
👶 Under 18
12.1%
This area
12.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
12.9%
This area
12.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.0%
This area
5.0%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 16801

A+ Avg School Grade
9 Schools
11.0:1 Avg Class Size
$22,590 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Easterly Parkway El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
320 Students
👨‍🏫
10.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Mount Nittany MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
712 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Corl Street El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
226 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Mount Nittany El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
424 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Spring Creek El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
381 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Young Scholars of Central PA CS

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
344 Students
👨‍🏫
9.1:1 Class Size
💰
$17,218 Per Student
A Very Good

Centre Learning Community CS

📚 05 – 08 School Charter
👥
67 Students
👨‍🏫
9.8:1 Class Size
💰
$23,016 Per Student
A Very Good

State College Area HS

📚 08 – 12 High School
👥
2,347 Students
👨‍🏫
11.5:1 Class Size
💰
$23,986 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Nittany Valley CS

📚 K – 06 School Charter
👥
47 Students
👨‍🏫
8.8:1 Class Size
💰
$19,163 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

4 Nearby 9,651 Off-Campus Students
C
South Hills School of Business & Technology
242 students · 1.0 mi
B+
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
50,399 students · 1.3 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-World Campus
13,564 students · 1.3 mi
C+
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
126 students · 8.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 9,651 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is State College in PA worth investing in?

Our data puts State College, PA at 3.0/5 for investability. Home prices of $421K and rents around $1,838/mo create a solid backdrop for investor activity.

Are rents high in State College, PA?

State College, PA rentals go for roughly $1,838/mo a month. That puts gross yield in solid territory relative to $421K acquisition costs.

What kind of vacancy should I budget for in State College, PA?

Occupancy in State College, PA runs even-keeled with elevated vacancy. Well-priced units at $1,838/mo lease on reasonable timelines.

Is State College, PA suited for a house hack?

For house hackers, State College, PA is a challenging. The $1,838/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $421K property.

Are renters plentiful in State College, PA?

State College, PA draws a measured base of working renters. Demand at the $1,838/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

You know 16801 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 16801 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 16801 ranks in State College, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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