City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Scranton, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Scranton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

76,074
Residents
$49,531
Median income
$141,700
Median home
$1,252
Median rent (state)

Scranton - the verdict

Scranton ranks in the 19th percentile for household income and the 42nd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
41st
percentile, median rent
42nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Scranton, PA

Scranton is a small city in Pennsylvania, home to 76,074 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $49,531 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.5%. Home values in Scranton run a median of $141,700, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. 22.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 2 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 33% from five years earlier. Scranton reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1626.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Pennsylvania at 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,252 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Pennsylvania run around $260, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 89.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

76,074 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$49,531 /yr

Poverty 18.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Scranton compare to other US cities?

Scranton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 41% pricier than other cities
Safety 42% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Pennsylvania and the picture shifts: Scranton ranks #323 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Scranton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Pennsylvania, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile
42ndSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 42nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Scranton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Scranton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 43 Avg. percentile National median
Scranton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Scranton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$141,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Scranton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Scranton, PA Scranton, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Scranton, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Scranton, PA median $49,531/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Scranton, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Scranton, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
76,074
Median Income
$49,531
Median Home Value
$141,700
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
18.5%
Labor force participation
53.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1626.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
281.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1345.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
17
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
75,400 residents75,600 residents75,800 residents76,000 residents76,200 residents76,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 76,169 residents 75,514 residents ▼ -0.9%
Scranton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 3
2021 3
2022 4
2023 1
2024 2

Permit volume decreased 33% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
69.8%
Carpool
13.4%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
5.1%
Work from Home
8.5%
Other
1.5%

Based on 32,989 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Scranton sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,252/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Bethlehem
77,069 people
Erie
94,156 people
Lancaster
57,683 people
Reading
94,836 people
Levittown
50,930 people
Harrisburg
50,092 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Scranton's 76,074 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rochester Hills, MI
76,086 people
Southfield, MI
76,025 people
Arlington Heights, IL
76,220 people
Daytona Beach, FL
75,924 people
Cheektowaga, NY
76,251 people
Pittsburg, CA
75,868 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Scranton's $49,531 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dewy Rose, GA
$49,531 median income
Long, OK
$49,531 median income
Brodhead, WI
$49,531 median income
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, MT
$49,533 median income
Rainbow Springs, FL
$49,535 median income
Wellington, KS
$49,526 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Scranton, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Scranton, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 71.6% 6.7% 11.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.5% White 71.6% Black or African American 6.7% Asian 4.7% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 5.9% Two or more races 11.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Scranton compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Scranton (this city) 76,074 $49,531
Bethlehem 77,069 $66,443
Erie 94,156 $43,397
Lancaster 57,683 $63,421
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Scranton, PA?

What is the population of Scranton, PA? +

The population of Scranton, PA stands at 76,074 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Scranton, PA? +

The median household income in Scranton is $49,531 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Scranton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Scranton; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

Is Scranton, PA safe? +

Scranton has a total crime rate of 1626.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Scranton, PA? +

Scranton's median home value sits at $141,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.