City · Iowa
Scranton, Iowa
Scranton, city, in Greene County, Iowa. Scranton had 493 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 511 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 542 (±130). GEOID 1971310.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
493
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 511 · ACS 2020-2024: 542 ±130
Median household income
$53,864
±$19,581 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$86,300
±$6,402 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$825
±$253 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Scranton and what county is it in?
Scranton is a city in Greene County, Iowa. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 275 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Scranton, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 493 people lived in Scranton on July 1, 2025, down 2.8% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 511 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 542 (±130).
| Measure | Scranton | Greene County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 542 ±130 | 8,688 | no clear change |
| Households | 254 ±62 | 3,922 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.13 ±0.31 | 2.19 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 265 ±64 | 4,319 | no clear change |
Scranton's population since 2000
From 604 in 2000 to 493 in 2025: down 18.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Scranton as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Scranton?
The median resident of Scranton is 41.2 years old; 18.5% are under 18 and 16.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 85.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.6%.
| Measure | Scranton | Greene County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 ±17.3 | 44.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.5% ±9.0 pts | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.4% ±5.6 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Male | 55.9% ±6.2 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.4% ±7.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 85.1% ±7.4 pts | 92.3% | −13.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.6% ±5.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.6% ±1.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 15.2% ±8.3 pts | 8.5% | – |
| With a disability | 11.6% ±5.3 pts | 16.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.5% ±6.6 pts | 4.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.4% ±7.4 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 6.3% ±3.3 pts | 21.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.0% ±1.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.9% ±6.1 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Scranton earn?
Half of Scranton's 254 households earn less than $53,864 a year (±$19,581), against $63,409 in Greene County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $57,689 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 22.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Scranton | Greene County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,864 ±$19,581 | $63,409 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $58,580 ±$7,762 | $83,360 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,275 ±$4,124 | $38,146 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 22.5% ±10.9 pts | 9.8% | +13.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 37.0% ±33.5 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.0% ±8.4 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.0% ±3.2 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7% ±5.5 pts | 89.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Scranton?
Owners occupy 67.3% of Scranton's occupied homes and renters 32.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $86,300 by its owner (±$6,402). The median renter pays $825 a month including utilities, and 46.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Scranton | Greene County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $86,300 ±$6,402 | $155,400 | +$31,288 |
| Median gross rent | $825 ±$253 | $781 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 46.2% ±25.4 pts | 22.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $960 ±$62 | $1,192 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.3% ±12.4 pts | 76.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.7% ±12.4 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Housing units | 265 ±64 | 4,319 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.5% ±7.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±25.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 92.1% ±4.7 pts | 82.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±9.0 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±9.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±9.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 62.3% ±8.7 pts | 36.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.6% ±2.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Scranton building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Scranton in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Scranton work and get to work?
80.8% of Scranton's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.8 minutes.
| Measure | Scranton | Greene County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 74.0% ±7.7 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±2.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.8% ±8.5 pts | 76.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.1% ±7.2 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 6.5% ±4.6 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.8 min ±5.0 | 23.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Scranton?
No census tract lies mostly in Scranton; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 805Greene County | 1,766 | $65,859 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Scranton) · Census block assignment files
How does Scranton compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Scranton is the 13,250th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 440th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Scranton is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 440th | 939 |
Scranton's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Scranton with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Scranton?
23 of the 57 figures for Scranton on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Scranton are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Scranton.