City · Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, city, in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Scranton had 75,514 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 76,328 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 76,033 (±54). GEOID 4269000.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
75,514
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 76,328 · ACS 2020-2024: 76,033 ±54
Median household income
$50,739
±$2,359 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$158,100
±$3,935 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$1,048
±$29 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Scranton and what county is it in?
Scranton is a city in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It covers 25.3 square miles of land, 3,016 residents per square mile in 2020.
Scranton is in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 75,514 people lived in Scranton on July 1, 2025, down 1.1% since 2020, while Pennsylvania grew 0.4%. The 2020 Census counted 76,328 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 76,033 (±54).
| Measure | Scranton | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 76,033 ±54 | 216,146 | −1,021 |
| Households | 30,247 ±818 | 88,263 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.32 ±0.06 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 35,512 ±722 | 100,177 | no clear change |
Scranton's population since 2000
From 76,415 in 2000 to 75,514 in 2025: down 1.2%. 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 37.2 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 19.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 64.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 17.9%. 12.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Scranton | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 ±1.1 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.2% ±0.8 pts | 20.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.0% ±0.8 pts | 20.5% | – |
| Male | 49.2% ±0.9 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 17.9% ±1.3 pts | 9.8% | +3.1 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 64.9% ±1.4 pts | 79.6% | −7.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 6.6% ±0.9 pts | 3.0% | +1.3 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±0.7 pts | 3.0% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±0.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 12.6% ±1.4 pts | 6.7% | +2.5 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.3% ±1.6 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5% ±0.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| With a disability | 17.7% ±1.1 pts | 16.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.7% ±1.0 pts | 4.9% | +1.9 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.8% ±1.3 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.1% ±1.5 pts | 30.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.2% ±1.0 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.6% ±1.5 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.7% ±0.6 pts | 2.2% | – |
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 30,247 households earn less than $50,739 a year (±$2,359), against $66,223 in Lackawanna County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $49,976 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Scranton | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,739 ±$2,359 | $66,223 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $69,141 ±$2,126 | $89,204 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,347 ±$1,111 | $37,168 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.0% ±1.9 pts | 14.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 34.4% ±4.3 pts | 19.7% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.1% ±1.8 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.7% ±1.2 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.1% ±1.7 pts | 87.5% | – |
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 49.9% of Scranton's occupied homes and renters 50.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,100 by its owner (±$3,935). The median renter pays $1,048 a month including utilities, and 44.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Scranton | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,100 ±$3,935 | $201,800 | +$31,339 |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 ±$29 | $1,007 | +$86 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.5% ±3.4 pts | 39.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,446 ±$48 | $1,539 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 49.9% ±1.9 pts | 65.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.1% ±1.9 pts | 34.6% | – |
| Housing units | 35,512 ±722 | 100,177 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.1% ±0.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.7% ±1.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 48.7% ±1.8 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.3% ±0.2 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.3% ±0.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 51.8% ±2.0 pts | 36.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.2% ±1.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
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 2 new housing units in Scranton in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
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?
70.6% of Scranton's workers drive alone and 9.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.4%.
| Measure | Scranton | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.5% ±1.5 pts | 59.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±0.9 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 70.6% ±2.1 pts | 75.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.7% ±1.4 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 4.8% ±0.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.0% ±1.1 pts | 10.0% | +5.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.3 min ±1.1 | 21.1 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?
27 census tracts lie mostly in Scranton (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $22,402 (Tract 1002) to $100,795 (Tract 1028).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1006Lackawanna County | 4,660 | $62,917 |
| Tract 1018Lackawanna County | 4,457 | $55,254 |
| Tract 1003Lackawanna County | 4,442 | $32,206 |
| Tract 1029Lackawanna County | 3,825 | $42,880 |
| Tract 1028Lackawanna County | 3,492 | $100,795 |
| Tract 1017Lackawanna County | 3,219 | $74,750 |
| Tract 1023Lackawanna County | 3,163 | $37,021 |
| Tract 1025Lackawanna County | 3,149 | $33,931 |
| Tract 1010Lackawanna County | 3,066 | $62,536 |
| Tract 1002Lackawanna County | 2,929 | $22,402 |
| Tract 1012Lackawanna County | 2,912 | $50,078 |
| Tract 1013Lackawanna County | 2,904 | $43,594 |
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 Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Scranton is the 512th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 7th-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Scranton ranks 1,996th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 7th | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,075th | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 400th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 1,996th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 1,966th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 1,688th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 980th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 107th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,250th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 1,857th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 2,013th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 1,272nd | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,949th | 2,156 |
Scranton's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, 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?
4 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.