Looking for smallish, greenish town in PA (sustainable living)

[Lion11]

I can't speak for Snyder or Union Counties, but i know that Centre County has a strong "green" movement, especially when it comes to "going local". Local foods are huge in the area, with many popular farmers markets, local organic eateries, and a popular "farm tour" in the summer. I would have also mentioned Millheim but it may be too small for you and I don't know about the Special Education, however Penns Valley is a very good school district. State College has a great Special Education program. For a home in State College, look at the Halfmoon township area near Stormstown and also around the Boalsburg area. Both are in the SCASD. You may be able to find something on 2 acres where you can walk to Boalsburg. Good luck!!
Sustainable Centre County series continues | Green Living | CentreDaily.com (http://www.centredaily.com/2011/03/02/2555258/sustainable-centre-county-series.html - broken link)
Centre County - Buy Fresh Buy Local
Homegrown Happy Valley - Wall | Facebook
http://www.1kbb.com/ (property search-residental- can specify price, lot size, school district, bedrooms, etc...)
http://www.scasd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1
Penn State is a great resource to have nearby: the National Autism Conference is held there each year:http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/autism/

[SusqueHappy]

The farm valley of the Millheim area that I referred to, western Union and eastern Center counties is the Penns Valley School District and my alma mater. It's a small country school, the district seems to grow and evolve because of the consolidation of the student body in better school buildings. The region hasn't really changed there, unlike the growth in the surrounding college towns: State College (Penn State), Selinsgrove (Susquehanna U), and Lewisburg (Bucknell U) - as well as significant overall development to the east in the river corridor where I live over the past 20 years.

The farm region described serves all three counties: Snyder, Centre, and Union; of course that's a sweeping generalization, but producers from this area regularly distribute products in all three of the towns I mentioned above, both through specialty stores and at markets.

State College is a great town. The climate is a little more brisk than the Susquehanna Valley and the landscape is more rugged. It feels somewhat isolated, although one is "isolated" with so many dynamic people!

State College is just over an hour from Lewisburg or Selinsgrove, an easy and beautiful drive for anyone who would want to investigate.

[gingergirl3]

I live outside of Lewisburg and it is a great place to live. Very low crime and housing prices are pretty substainable. You can easily find a fabulous home for 200k-300k the town is a nice college town with lots of coffee shops, pubs and independant shops. there are several famers markets here to ensure fresh produce. There is even a local organic farm co op you can get involved with for fresh produce every week. its right off 80 and 15 so easy to hop on the highway and head to state college harrisburg wilkes barre, nyc...etc

[SteelCityRising]

I would really recommend Lewisburg to the OP. Your housing budget would present you with a plethora of options here. I visited Lewisburg to do a photo tour for this forum a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with the community. You can see some photos I took here:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/penns...hoto-tour.html

If I were looking to downsize to an ecologically-conscious, sustainable, and open-minded small town with a reasonable cost-of-living in Central PA, then Lewisburg would be one of my top contenders. You're only about an hour from State College, Harrisburg, or Williamsport---three medium-sized cities that will afford you any sorts of arts/cultural amenities that you can't find in the Union/Snyder/Northumberland County area. There is a strip of chain retail and restaurants (along with a mall) along Routes 11 & 15 in the Shamokin Dam area, which is probably about 10-15 minutes south of Lewisburg.

[ktljjt]

Thanks again for all the great responses. I am not at all only looking in central PA, I was only looking in Bucks county, but figure there has to be more in PA then just Bucks County!!!

I love the look of Lewisburg, but is it like a party college town? Lots of bars open late and partying??
I am open to ANYWHERE in PA that fits my original description!! thanks )

[greg42]

State College might be a bit of a party town, just a bit. Penn State is a pretty huge amount of the population there. Lewisburg? Well, I was only there during the day but it sure didn't strike me as such. I don't think Bucknell is that big.