Township · Pennsylvania
South Abington Township, Pennsylvania
South Abington Township, township, in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. South Abington Township had 9,624 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 9,532 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 9,572 (±33). GEOID 4206971872.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
9,624
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,532 · ACS 2020-2024: 9,572 ±33
Median household income
$113,615
±$13,974 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$334,700
±$21,099 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$1,390
±$130 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is South Abington Township and what county is it in?
South Abington Township is a township in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It covers 9.1 square miles of land, 1,046 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside South Abington Township: Chinchilla (CDP, 1,959 in 2020).
South Abington Township 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 South Abington Township, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 9,624 people lived in South Abington Township on July 1, 2025, up 0.8% since 2020, in line with Pennsylvania (+0.4%). The 2020 Census counted 9,532 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 9,572 (±33).
| Measure | South Abington Township | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,572±33 | 216,146 | +670 |
| Households | 3,376±299 | 88,263 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.64±0.23 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,563±328 | 100,177 | no clear change |
South Abington Township's population since 2000
From 8,638 in 2000 to 9,624 in 2025: up 11.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for South Abington Township 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 South Abington Township?
The median resident of South Abington Township is 38.5 years old; 24.6% are under 18 and 20.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.2%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 5.9%. 9.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | South Abington Township | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5±5.1 | 41.9 | −5.9 |
| Under 18 years | 24.6%±4.1 pts | 20.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.9%±3.0 pts | 20.5% | – |
| Male | 48.8%±2.6 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9%±1.6 pts | 9.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.2%±3.2 pts | 79.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.6 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.9%±2.6 pts | 3.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6%±1.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.0%±2.6 pts | 6.7% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.8%±2.9 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.9%±1.1 pts | 5.9% | – |
| With a disability | 8.7%±2.2 pts | 16.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.5%±0.8 pts | 4.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.3%±1.2 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 56.1%±5.4 pts | 30.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 31.1%±5.0 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.5%±3.1 pts | 88.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.3%±2.7 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 South Abington Township earn?
Half of South Abington Township's 3,376 households earn less than $113,615 a year (±$13,974), against $66,223 in Lackawanna County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $115,010 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 2.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | South Abington Township | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $113,615±$13,974 | $66,223 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $133,987±$10,684 | $89,204 | – |
| Per capita income | $48,361±$5,414 | $37,168 | −$12,027 |
| People below the poverty line | 2.9%±1.5 pts | 14.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.6%±2.4 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.9%±3.3 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.0%±3.0 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 South Abington Township?
Owners occupy 74.3% of South Abington Township's occupied homes and renters 25.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $334,700 by its owner (±$21,099). The median renter pays $1,390 a month including utilities, and 35.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | South Abington Township | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $334,700±$21,099 | $201,800 | +$36,380 |
| Median gross rent | $1,390±$130 | $1,007 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.1%±12.7 pts | 39.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,997±$224 | $1,539 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 74.3%±4.7 pts | 65.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.7%±4.7 pts | 34.6% | – |
| Housing units | 3,563±328 | 100,177 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.7%±2.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.7%±5.6 pts | 64.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.5%±0.8 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4%±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.5%±2.1 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.8%±5.3 pts | 36.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.7%±3.4 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 South Abington Township building?
Builders took permits for 29 new housing units in South Abington Township in 2025 (21 in single-family houses), 3.0 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 South Abington Township work and get to work?
74.6% of South Abington Township's workers drive alone and 12.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.0%.
| Measure | South Abington Township | Lackawanna County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.4%±3.9 pts | 59.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0%±2.1 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.6%±5.5 pts | 75.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.3%±5.6 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.2%±1.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.7%±2.9 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.0 min±3.4 | 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 South Abington Township?
2 census tracts lie mostly in South Abington Township, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $86,458 (Tract 1104.03) to $123,145 (Tract 1104.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1104.01Lackawanna County | 7,360 | $123,145 |
| Tract 1104.03Lackawanna County | 3,099 | $86,458 |
| Tract 1104.02Lackawanna County | 2,682 | $140,536 |
| Tract 1105Lackawanna County | 5,122 | $92,841 |
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 South Abington Township) · Census block assignment files
How does South Abington Township compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, South Abington Township is the 1,273rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 202nd-most populous of 1,542 in Pennsylvania.
South Abington Township ranks 277th 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 | 202nd | 1,542 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 663rd | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 936th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 277th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 503rd | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 396th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 419th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 1,560th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 182nd | 2,129 |
| Median age | 1,751st | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,395th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 826th | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,036th | 2,156 |
South Abington Township's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare South Abington Township 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 South Abington Township?
11 of the 57 figures for South Abington Township 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 South Abington Township 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' school search.