Centre County, Pennsylvania
Located in Pennsylvania, Centre County has a population of 158,576 residents and a median age of 34.2 years, making it the #439 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 16.3%. The median home value is $323,500, and the median household income is $74,291, which is 1% below the national median.
Demographics
Centre County has a population of 158,576, making it the #439 most populous county in the US. The median age is 34.2 years, which is 12.1% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Centre County is $74,291, ranking #886 out of 3,222 counties — 1.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 16.3% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Centre County is $323,500 (+14.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,207/mo and the homeownership rate is 61.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Centre County, 46.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 37.2% above the national average, ranking #148 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Centre County is 81.3 years. 17.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.1% of adults in Centre County smoke , 34.7% are obese , and 22.0% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 9.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Centre County is 1.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 11.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 7.6 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
10.0% of children in Centre County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.2 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 2.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Centre County is 59.9%. The mean commute time is 22.3 min, which is 19.3% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Centre County voted Democratic with a margin of 2.8%. The vote was 50.9% Dem / 48.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.0 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County, Pennsylvania has a total population of 158,576, making it the 439th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Centre County is 34.2 years, which is 12.1% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Centre County is $74,291, which ranks #886 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 1.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 16.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in Centre County is $323,500, 14.8% above the national median. Renters in Centre County pay a median gross rent of $1,207 per month. The homeownership rate is 61.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Centre County, 46.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.8% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.3 min.
Centre County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 82.8% of the population, followed by Asian (non-Hispanic) (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.1%).
All data for Centre County, Pennsylvania comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.