Relocation Guide
Moving to Indiana County
A practical, friendly guide to starting life in Indiana, PA and the county around it
Making the Move to Indiana County
This page is a practical relocation guide for anyone considering a move to Indiana County, PA. You will find honest, useful information on the area's communities, schools, commute routes, employers, healthcare, utilities, recreation, and housing, so you can picture day-to-day life here before you decide.
Indiana County is a small-city and small-town region with a big university at its center. The borough of Indiana is the county seat and the cultural hub, and dozens of boroughs and townships around it offer everything from newer suburban neighborhoods to quiet rural acreage. It is a place where a 10-minute drive takes you from a coffee shop downtown to a hiking trailhead, and where a reasonable commute keeps Pittsburgh, Johnstown, and State College within reach for work or weekends.
The details below were gathered from local sources and are updated regularly. When you are ready to talk about neighborhoods, schools for your address, or the current housing market, Sheri Kunkle, a local agent who lives and works here, is happy to help, no strings attached.
Curated by
Sheri Kunkle, Local Expert
Where You Might Live
Indiana County is made up of 14 boroughs and 24 townships, so there is a community for nearly every kind of lifestyle. Here is a quick look at the places people mention most when they are considering a move.
Indiana Borough
The county seat and a classic college town with a walkable downtown along Philadelphia Street. Tree-lined residential streets, historic homes, and IUP's campus are all within easy reach of shops and restaurants.
White Township
Wraps around the borough and is the county's fastest-growing area. Newer housing developments, the Oakland Avenue shopping corridor, and the S&T Bank Arena make it a popular choice for families.
Homer City
About 6 miles south of Indiana on US-119, Homer City offers small-village life with its own school district (Homer-Center), local businesses, and a mix of older character homes and rural properties.
Blairsville
A historic river borough about 17 miles west of Indiana along US-22. The Blairsville Riverfront Trail connects to the regional trail network, and the town is a gateway to western county amenities.
Saltsburg
A charming canal town at the confluence of the Kiskiminetas and Conemaugh Rivers, about 28 miles southwest. The West Penn Trail, Pennsylvania's 2020 Trail of the Year, runs right through it.
Chevy Chase Heights
A well-established neighborhood within the borough, walkable to IUP and downtown, with well-maintained homes on tree-lined streets and strong resale values.
Other Communities Close By
Beyond the main spotlights, a ring of smaller boroughs and townships gives you more options within a short drive of Indiana borough: Clymer (about 9 miles east), Ernest (about 7 miles south), Marion Center (about 13 miles north), Shelocta (about 13 miles north), Armagh (about 20 miles east on US-22), and Cherry Tree (about 23 miles northeast). Townships such as Center, Brush Valley, Rayne, and Cherryhill offer rural settings and country homes while still being a manageable drive from town, schools, and jobs.
Explore full neighborhood profilesSchools at Every Level
Indiana County is served by 11 school districts across 27 schools, educating roughly 12,060 students. The district most families in and around Indiana borough look at first is the Indiana Area School District, which serves the borough, White Township, and parts of surrounding townships. It is consistently ranked among the top districts in the region, with a B+ Niche rating, a 92 percent graduation rate, 23 AP and IB courses, and about 2,856 students.
Outside the Indiana Area district, families have plenty of strong local options: Homer-Center, Blairsville-Saltsburg, Marion Center, Penns Manor, and Purchase Line all serve different corners of the county, and the Indiana County Technology Center offers career and technical programs to students across the county. Private options include St. Bernard Regional Catholic School, Keys Montessori School, and The Kiski School in Saltsburg.
For higher education, Indiana University of Pennsylvania is one of Pennsylvania's largest public universities, with more than 10,000 students, more than 200 degree programs across 10 colleges, and Division I athletics. A college town this size means year-round cultural events, internships, and part-time work close to home.
B+
IASD Niche Rating
92%
Graduation Rate
Getting Around: Commute Routes
Indiana sits at the crossing of several useful highways, so regional commutes are very doable. US-422, the Benjamin Franklin Highway, runs east and west across the county. US-119 forms a bypass around the eastern side of Indiana borough and connects north and south. PA-286 heads east toward Clymer and the county's coal-region communities, while PA-56 heads west toward the Johnstown area.
~1 hr 20 min
Pittsburgh · ~58 mi
~1 hr 45 min
State College · ~93 mi
~45 min
Johnstown · ~28 mi
~1 hr 10 min
Altoona · ~50 mi
Pittsburgh: about 58 miles, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes depending on route and traffic. Common routes use US-119 and US-22 west toward the Pittsburgh metro.
State College: about 93 miles, roughly 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours via US-422 east connecting to I-99 and US-220. An easy day trip for football games or Penn State visits.
Johnstown: about 28 miles, roughly 45 to 50 minutes along the US-422 and PA-56 corridor. The closest of the region's larger cities.
Altoona: about 50 miles, roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes east along US-422.
Drive times are estimates for typical non-stop conditions and can vary with traffic, weather, and construction. Most commuting in and around the borough itself is a 10 to 20 minute drive at most.
Where People Work
The local economy is anchored by a major university and a strong regional hospital, with schools, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing filling out a surprisingly diverse job market.
IUP
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is widely cited as the region's largest employer, with faculty, staff, and student jobs across its campus. It is a steady anchor for the local economy.
Indiana Regional Medical Center
IRMC is the county's second-largest employer, with more than a thousand employees, and one of the region's largest healthcare providers. Its physician group employs a wide range of clinical and support staff.
School Districts
The county's public school districts, led by Indiana Area, are consistently among its largest employers, offering teaching, administration, transportation, and support roles across the county.
Diamond Pharmacy Services
The family-owned Diamond Companies, based in Indiana, are regarded as one of the county's largest private employers, providing pharmacy services nationwide from their local operations.
S&T Bank
S&T Bank is headquartered right here in Indiana, bringing banking, finance, and corporate roles to the community along with a strong local presence.
Retail & Manufacturing
Healthcare and retail are the county's largest employment sectors overall, with national retailers, local manufacturers, and service businesses providing a broad base of jobs for every skill level.
Healthcare Close to Home
Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) is the county's community hospital, located at 835 Hospital Road in Indiana, PA 15701, phone (724) 357-7000. It is a community-owned, not-for-profit hospital that has served the area since 1914, with an emergency department open 24/7 and services that include cardiac care, stroke care, orthopedics, obstetrics, wound care, and more.
For everyday care, IRMC's UrgiCare urgent care centers are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with no appointment needed, at the main campus, at 2128 Oakland Avenue in Indiana, and at Chestnut Ridge in Blairsville. The IRMC Physician Group also brings more than 50 primary care and specialty physicians to practices around the county.
164+
Beds
24/7
Emergency Dept.
3
UrgiCare Sites
50+
Physicians
Setting Up Utilities
The list below covers the services new residents most often ask about. It is smart to start the setup process two to four weeks before move-in day, and to check each provider for current options and account requirements.
Electric
Penelec (FirstEnergy) is the electric distribution utility for Indiana County, at 1-888-544-4877. Pennsylvania's deregulated market also lets you shop for a separate generation supplier if you prefer.
Natural Gas
Peoples Natural Gas is the local distribution utility in the Indiana area, at 1-800-764-0111. As with electricity, you can often choose a separate gas supplier in Pennsylvania's open market.
Water & Sewer
Inside Indiana Borough, water and sewer billing runs through the Borough of Indiana (724-465-6691), and its regional wastewater facility also serves White Township and IUP. Elsewhere in the county, the Indiana County Municipal Service Authority (ICMSA, 724-349-6640) operates drinking water and wastewater systems.
Trash & Recycling
The Borough of Indiana handles garbage and recycling through its own utility billing. In townships, collection is typically arranged through the township or a private hauler such as Waste Management, so ask your landlord or seller what is already in place.
Internet
Cable internet from Xfinity (Comcast) and fiber or DSL from Windstream Kinetic cover much of the area, with local fiber providers like Gotlit expanding in some communities. Rural addresses may rely on 5G home internet or satellite services, so verify availability at your exact address, since coverage varies by township.
Planning Tip
Schedule service transfers before your closing or lease start, keep your new address handy for every provider, and bring a photo ID and proof of address when setting up new accounts in person.
What You'll Love Doing Here
A small-town pace with a surprising amount to do. Between a nationally recognized museum, a Division I university, and one of the finest trail networks in Pennsylvania, weekends fill up fast.
Lifestyle
Things to Do
The Jimmy Stewart Museum, IUP campus events, downtown festivals, and the Indiana County Fair are just the start. See the full calendar of attractions.
Outdoors
Parks & Trails
5,600 acres of county parks, Yellow Creek State Park, and 69 miles of rail-trails including the West Penn Trail, Pennsylvania's 2020 Trail of the Year.
Hungry after exploring? The county's dining scene runs from beloved local pizzerias to international flavors. Browse the dining guide.
What Housing Looks Like Here
The housing stock in Indiana County is wonderfully varied. In the borough you will find historic American Foursquares, bungalows, Cape Cods, and ranch homes from the early 1900s onward, many with classic character and modern updates. White Township has captured most of the county's newer development, with family-friendly single-family subdivisions, townhomes, and apartments.
Drive a few minutes in any direction and you reach rural farmhouses, acreage, and quiet country lanes, plus a healthy mix of rentals near campus for students and young professionals. As a general rule, home values across the county sit well below national medians, which is one of the reasons so many first-time buyers and investors look at the 15701 area.
Market conditions do shift, so check the dedicated market page for current sale prices, days on market, and inventory before you start house hunting.
Questions About the Move?
Moving involves a thousand small decisions, and it helps to have a local who has answered them before. Sheri Kunkle has helped plenty of families settle into Indiana County, and she is happy to share honest answers about neighborhoods, schools, and the market, with no pressure and no obligation.