Historic neighborhood close to Penn State, shops and parks
Holmes-Foster is a historic neighborhood in State College with several parks and shops within walking distance. The neighborhood's buildings feature a full range of early-20th-century architectural styles, and its unique collection of antique designs warranted its placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. “People who own homes here like the quaintness of the location,” says Linda Lowe, a Realtor with Re/Max Centre Realty, who’s been selling homes in the area for over 30 years. Mature oak and maple trees, some nearly 200 years old, line the streets and provide a consistent shade over the neighborhood. Holmes-Foster also sits on the edge of Downtown State College, which offers a wide selection of restaurants and entertainment.
Holmes-Foster is a popular choice amongst families and Penn State students living off campus.
Tune your bicycle up for a ride around Holmes-Foster at The Bicycle Shop.
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Colonial Revivals starting in the $400,000s
Homes in the neighborhood are tightly arranged along suburban gridded streets. Newer apartment buildings have been built in the neighborhood, but Colonial Revival and Tudor-style homes from the early-to-mid-20th century still make up most of the properties here. “Downtown especially has grown over the years, and there’s still a lot of room for development,” says Lowe. Some houses have front or backyard driveways, while others rely on street parking. Properties in the neighborhood typically do not have garages. Homes tend to stay on the market for just under two weeks and usually sell for $400,000 to $700,000.
Grand colonial revivals sit on large lots with plenty of room for kids or pets in Holmes-Foster.
Find pristine landscaping in Holmes-Foster with 2 story tudor style architecture sitting above.
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Holmes-Foster Park, William L. Welch Community Pool
In the southern corner of the neighborhood, Holmes-Foster Park has a playground, picnic area and basketball courts. Community Field is a large sports park with baseball and softball diamonds, tennis courts and soccer fields. The Penn State Golf Courses offer a pair of 18-hole courses, four practice putting greens and 32 driving range stalls. In the summer, the William L. Welch Community Pool opens with a lap pool and an open pool with three water slides. Locals can also head about 7 miles east to Mount Nittany for more than 8 miles of hiking trails leading to scenic overlooks.
Holmes-Foster Park offers a playground with swing sets and jungle gyms.
On a hot Holmes-Foster day, cool off at the William L. Welch Community Pool.
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Events in Downtown State College
Downtown State College has events going on throughout the year. From April to December, First Fridays offer after-hours access to galleries and shops, free food and drinks and live music. Live After 5 is a summer concert series in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza featuring local musicians. Fall Fest takes place on Allen Street with free pumpkins, family activities and food vendors. And in November, Light Up Night at MLK Plaza has free hot cocoa, live reindeer and artisan vendors to browse before the tree lighting and timed light show begin.
Sit down and enjoy live music on a summer afternoon during the Live After Series.
Local artists play for residents of Holmes-Foster and the rest of Downtown State College.
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Top tier grades for State College school district
Students may start at Corl Street Elementary, which earns an A grade from Niche, before going to Park Forest Middle, which gets an A. State College Area High also receives an A and offers a dozen in-house Career and Technical Education program. They also offer the 9th Grade Counseling & Learning Community (9LC) to incoming freshmen, which is designed to promote a successful transition for new students. Pennsylvania State University occupies much of Downtown State College. The public university has nearly 90,000 students enrolled annually and has a highly decorated sports program with 82 national collegiate team championships.
Corl Street Elementary School teaches students grades K-5.
State College Area High School teaches 2,410 students in State College, PA.
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International goods at Far Corners Asian Market
The neighborhood has popular local restaurants like Monte Carlo for pizza and wings and Tadashi for authentic Japanese dishes. Along West College Avenue, Far Corners Asian Market is a locally owned store selling imported produce and packaged goods. Two miles east on South Atherton Street, the Hills Plaza shopping mall also has a Giant grocery store, a Weis market and an Ollie's Bargain Outlet.
Holmes Foster's Monte Carlos Pizza is perfect for wings or a pizza before a Saturday State game.
Stop in Vibe Coffee Co. in Holmes Foster to get some work done before class.
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Highly walkable area close to CATA bus stops
The neighborhood is highly walkable and bikeable to nearby shops and parks. The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) has bus lines that run throughout the city, with several stops in the neighborhood along South Atherton Street. Those driving to nearby cities can take U.S. Route 322 to Harrisburg and Interstate 99 to Altoona. State College Regional is the closest airport, located just 5 miles north.
Get around the rest of State College from Holmes-Foster on public transportation CATA busses.
When school is in session, Penn State is a lively place to tour, minutes from Holmes-Foster.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
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Parks in this Area
Holmes-Foster Park
Transit
Airport
State College Regional
16 min drive
Bus
W Beaver Ave & S Sparks St
Bus
S Atherton St & Fairmount Ave Outbound
Bus
W College Ave & N Barnard St
Bus
S. Atherton St. & Pizza Hut
Bus
W Beaver Ave & S Barnard St
Bus
S Atherton St & W Beaver Ave Outbound
Bus
W College Ave & N Sparks St
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Holmes Foster
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
7
4
Assault with Weapon
2
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
3
4
Larceny
5
4
Crime Score
4
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Holmes Foster, State College sell after 39 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Holmes Foster, State College over the last 12 months is $542,536, up 21% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
Lindsey Byers,
an experienced agent in this area.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
5,129
Median Age
26
Population under 18
19.3%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
5.7%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$35,201
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$68,229
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
99%
College Graduates
64.5%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
29.9%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
58.7%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
41''
Average Winter Low Temperature
21°F
Average Summer High Temperature
81°F
Annual Snowfall
11''
Area Factors
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
80/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
76/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
35/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
