Stae College, PA or Burlington, VT (Pittsburgh, York: real estate, renting, home)

[LPC4U]

Hello all!

I will post this in the Vermont forum but I didn't know if anyone could tell me if they have been to both of these places. How are they different?
I am early 50's (look 30s so age isn't an issue) no kids
I am wondering about the people in the areas. Which area is more welcoming of new people?
Are either of them welcoming? I know people say Burlington has nice people but I mean are they open to making more friends or is it kind of--"Yeah, I'm friendly but I have my niche-no thanks" or something else?

Thanks ahead of time!!

[Wells5]

I can't tell you anything about Burlington except that it's on Lake Champlain and you can take a ferry across the lake to Port Kent, NY where you can catch the train to either Montreal or New York City for a weekend getaway. State College is the prototypical big university town with lots of students and academics (working and retired). There are always concerts, plays, exhibitions, sporting events, etc. going on typical of such a setting. It has one of the best downtowns in the state with lots of stores, restaurants, coffee bars and watering holes (if you don't mind bumping into hordes of students). Real estate is also much more expensive than the typical PA town.


If you're looking for a nice town with a pleasant climate and friendly people, I recommend looking into Ashville, North Carolina.

[Icy Tea]

Centre County has a lot of amish and some pretty big farms in the valleys. Amish are insular but the campus area would draw people from all over. The mountains can't compare to Vermont but they are there and its surrounded by some very wild woodland. Bellefonte is a very picturesque small town with many mansions and impressive old buildings in the downtown. College football is HUGE in Happy valley so there's that. I was in Bennington Vt. 30 years ago and thought the people were pretty cold but that was one experience. That area has a very dark history, dark but interesting.

[LPC4U]

Thanks y'all! Hmmm....a very dark history--sounds intriguing!

[Gerania]

Have you lived in the Northeast?

[Charley Barker]

One caveat: these are my observations. I have no real data to back up any of this!


I attended Penn State as an undergrad in the '80's and have been back frequently since. State College is an "easy" place to live, with good schools and a reasonable COL. The area around it is beautiful and you don't have to drive far to be in the wilds of PA. However, it is something of a one-note town. I hear that the economy has greatly diversified over the years and it is one of the few regions of the state outside of SE PA that is growing. But Penn state still dominates the social, political and economic fabric of the area. For better or worse. It is only 2.5-3 hours to Pittsburgh and Philly, so that's a big plus if you need a city fix.


I spent a few days in Burlington (and several more days in the surrounding areas in VT and NY) a couple years back and really fell for it. The location on the lake and the proximity to the Adirondacks, Montreal, and the northeast can't be beat. Appears to have slightly more diversity than SC. Most of the SC diversity is due to the student population. Burlington is home to the Univ of VT, which adds a lot to the character to an area that is quite rich in American history. I think being on the water would be a clincher for me personally.


As far as friendliness, I think that both places will be welcoming to newcomers (VT has had a great influx of residents from higher cost NE states - although it is by no means a bargain place to live). SC has a more transient population, but it doesn't really mix with the permanent residents. Still that makes for a more open attitude to newcomers in general. The weather is probably very similar, with Burlington benefiting from it location in a valley (elev. 300') during winter as opposed to the higher elevation of SC, though it too is in a valley (elev. 1100').

[ki0eh]

State College, though liberal by middle-of-PA standards, is relatively conservative by a Northeastern college-town yardstick. Penn State football and other athletics are much more difficult to avoid, should one choose to.

Paradoxically, the mountains (such as they are) are closer in State College. Many folks can do an evening mountain-bike ride in the expansive Rothrock State Forest after work, taking quite a while before doing the exact same ride twice. Water activities are much more accessible in Burlington, with $ to proximity factors, of course.

[LPC4U]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer. Much appreciated!! ;-)

[toobusytoday]

I am more familiar with Burlington than State College. As a single person with no kids, you are going to have a challenge wherever you move. Most people of your age have an established friend group and may be hesitant to welcome a new person to their regular outings - backyard barbecues, birthday parties, etc. However, if you are up to joining local groups, whether it's a church, a political action group or a kickball team, you can meet new friends that way. I love Burlington and it's vibe. To me, State College is more college centered with lots of focus on PSU football and sports, but that's totally subjective. Winters will be very long in VT though so I would really suggest renting a place for a year before buying. Actually, that would make sense for either place!