Mansfield is a college town in a mountain-hugged valley
Straddling the banks of the Tioga River, Mansfield blends the energy of a college town with the adventure and scenery of a valley retreat. The Tioga County borough is dubbed the Crossroads of the Northern Tier, as it’s where U.S. Route 6 intersects with U.S. Route 15. The community is better known for its liberal arts college, Commonwealth University – Mansfield, which provides jobs, education, culture and entertainment for the roughly 2,800 people who live here full-time. Mansfield also features a historic downtown stretch, where the enclave’s small-town atmosphere shines. The borough’s parks and riverside location offer recreation close to home, while highway access puts the surrounding mountains of northern Pennsylvania within reach.
Single-family homes near Commonwealth University – Mansfield
Most of Mansfield’s single-family homes were built between the early 1900s and the 1980s. The median price for a single-family home is around $70,000, significantly below the national median. However, prices can range from $60,000 to $525,000. Victorians, Craftsman bungalows and American Foursquares sit close together on blocks between Main Street and the university, while split-levels, Colonial Revival-inspired builds and ranch-style homes rest on larger lots to the north. Mansfield’s properties don’t stay on the market long, typically selling after about 27 days, which is nearly three times faster than the national average.
From pizza to pints, Main Street is a hub for locals and students
Preserved Victorian buildings line historic Main Street in downtown Mansfield, which features boutiques, small businesses and local restaurants. The family-owned Papa V’s Pizzeria has served New York-style pies and Italian favorites to residents and college students for more than 20 years. A few doors down, Night and Day Coffee Café is a bustling morning spot for coffee and breakfast sandwiches. In the evenings, Yorkholo Brewing Co. and Thin Line Tavern are popular happy hour hangouts. This well-preserved downtown stretch turns into a street festival and farmers market for the Mansfield Final Friday Market, held the last Friday of the month from May through October. National retailers dot South Main Street south of the borough.
Public and private education options in Mansfield
Southern Tioga School District, which has five schools and one virtual school, earns a C overall rating from Niche. The C-rated Warren L. Miller Elementary serves Mansfield and offers prekindergarten through sixth grade. Students can move on to North Penn-Mansfield Junior/Senior High, which also receives a C rating. The school’s campus, adjacent to Smythe Park, features a public pool and the Tioga County Branch YMCA. Alternatively, the C-plus-rated New Covenant Academy is a private Christian school offering prekindergarten through 12th grade.
Commonwealth University – Mansfield sits atop a hill overlooking downtown. The small, public university offers a range of programs from accounting and visual arts to aquatic biology. The campus features several auditoriums and theaters, including Straughn Hall, where borough residents can enjoy operas and musicals. Fans cheer on the Mountaineers at Karl Van Norman Field, which hosts games for the football and field hockey teams.
Outdoor recreation in the Tioga River Valley
Mansfield has three parks. The historic Smythe Park is where a game of football was played at night under electric lights for the first time in the United States in 1892. Today, soccer and baseball are the main pastimes. Max Colegrove Park offers a quiet atmosphere for a picnic a few blocks from downtown, while Mansfield Veterans Memorial Park has views of the Tioga River and the surrounding landscape. The Mansfield Borough History Trail connects to the Lambs Creek Bike & Hike Trail, providing miles of paved path for walks, runs and bike rides. Those interested in boating and fishing can launch their vessels at the Lambs Creek Boat Ramp. Several state game lands and state parks are within driving distance, including Leonard Harrison State Park, where hikers climb to scenic overlooks along the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. Hills Creek State Park offers year-round recreation, from kayaking to ice fishing, around 7 miles away.
How Mansfield celebrates America’s birthday
Mansfield’s packed calendar of community events includes an annual Community Kids Day in late August and a trunk-or-treat in October. The borough’s 4th of July Celebration is one of the most highly anticipated events. The festival features a parade down Main Street, a party in Smythe Park with live music and a colorful fireworks display once the sun sets.
Mansfield is walkable and bikeable, and has highway access
Walking, biking and catching a ride on a BeST Transit bus or van are all options to get around Mansfield, though many residents drive. U.S. Routes 6 and 15 intersect in the borough, connecting commuters to cities like Elmira , New York, about 30 miles away. Elmira Corning Regional Airport offers the closest commercial flights. UPMC Outpatient Center provides primary care within the borough. The nearest full-service hospital, UPMC Wellsboro, is less than 15 miles away.
Important to know
Mansfield can flood, with the most recent incident in August 2024, when the borough was hit by remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. A levee provides some protection for properties along the eastern banks of the Tioga River.
