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METRO AREA

Scranton Metro

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA · 3 counties · 574,418 residents (2025 est.) · 1,746 sq mi
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The short version

Scranton is home to 569,788 people. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $186,490. 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 42.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median rent is $1,002 a month. The foreign-born share is 8%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
569,788
+2%since 2000
from 560,625 in 2000
574,418 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
326 / sq mi
+2%since 2000
from 321 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
42.1
+4%since 2000
from 40.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,746 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
546K554K562K570K578K19902000201020202024Scranton
2024570K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(29,103)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.5%(31,293)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(34,022)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.4%(36,329)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(34,391)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.3%(70,143)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.2%(69,261)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.3%(70,058)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.8%(78,901)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.7%(66,841)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(34,507)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(14,939)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$65,051
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,155 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$36,939
+101%since 2000
from $18,373 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.9%
+20.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.8%
+3.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.465
+5%since 2010
from 0.444 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade11.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Finance & insurance7.9%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical7%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade5.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$186,490
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,797 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,002
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $438 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
67.4%
−2.3 ptssince 2000
from 69.7% in 2000
32.6% rent
Vacancy rate
11.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.35 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
21.1%
−5.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
42.4%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 39.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.9
+3%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
39
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.1%(538,561)
Black1.4%(8,001)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(6,858)
Asian0.6%(3,515)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.1%(439,309)
Black3.5%(19,965)
Hispanic / Latino13.8%(78,684)
Asian1.8%(10,436)
Other3.8%(21,394)
Diversity Score
47
+171%since 2009
from 17 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
42
−6%since 2020
from 45 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Dominican5.3%(30,467)
Puerto Rican3.6%(20,729)
Mexican2%(11,571)
Central American0.9%(5,237)
South American0.8%(4,462)
Salvadoran0.4%(2,157)
Honduran0.3%(1,985)
Colombian0.3%(1,493)
Ecuadorian0.2%(1,243)
Cuban0.2%(865)
Spaniard0.1%(810)
Guatemalan0.1%(461)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(401)
Peruvian0.1%(349)
Venezuelan0.1%(332)
Argentine0.1%(294)
Uruguayan0.1%(286)
Panamanian0%(284)
Nicaraguan0%(259)
Bolivian0%(54)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.7%(4,114)
Filipino0.2%(1,177)
Chinese0.2%(1,063)
Nepalese0.3%(712)
Korean0.1%(677)
Bhutanese0.2%(519)
Pakistani0.1%(352)
Vietnamese0.1%(313)
Hmong0.1%(245)
Laotian0.1%(177)
Indonesian0%(127)
Japanese0%(99)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(96)
Kazakh0%(83)
Taiwanese0%(32)
Malaysian0%(30)
Thai0%(18)
Burmese0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(123)
Chamorro0%(40)
Guamanian0%(22)
Tongan0%(1)
Ancestry
Irish18.2%(103,827)
Italian16%(91,177)
Polish14.5%(82,773)
German14%(79,589)
English6.3%(35,720)
American4.1%(23,158)
Welsh3.2%(18,154)
Slovak2.6%(14,586)
Russian2.5%(14,283)
Lithuanian1.8%(10,204)
Dutch1%(5,520)
Ukrainian1%(5,513)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
French0.9%(5,116)
Scottish0.8%(4,563)
Arab0.6%(3,432)
West Indian0.5%(2,910)
Hungarian0.5%(2,795)
Greek0.4%(2,215)
Austrian0.3%(1,851)
Swedish0.3%(1,839)
Czech0.3%(1,769)
Lebanese0.3%(1,726)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(1,709)
Portuguese0.3%(1,576)
Jamaican0.2%(1,276)
Norwegian0.2%(1,217)
Syrian0.2%(873)
Haitian0.1%(808)
British0.1%(769)
Swiss0.1%(707)
Romanian0.1%(508)
Finnish0.1%(354)
Turkish0.1%(342)
Canadian0.1%(331)
Danish0.1%(330)
Nigerian0.1%(303)
Serbian0.1%(291)
Egyptian0%(256)
Croatian0%(256)
Ghanaian0%(245)
Brazilian0%(237)
Guyanese0%(197)
Slovene0%(177)
Iraqi0%(159)
Australian0%(145)
Iranian0%(132)
Armenian0%(108)
Belgian0%(106)
Barbadian0%(99)
Kenyan0%(81)
Israeli0%(76)
Bulgarian0%(74)
Moroccan0%(55)
Jordanian0%(16)
Ethiopian0%(14)
Somali0%(13)
Latvian0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.2%
+9.6 ptssince 2000
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.9%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 81.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.7%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 6.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.7 min
+68%since 2000
from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
75.4%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.6%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.4%
+7.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
9.3%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2011
from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.0%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 60.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 74.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.6%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Foreign born
8.2%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.3%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2012
from 15.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.8%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 9.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
87.6%
+14.9 ptssince 2017
from 72.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.5%
+5.1 ptssince 2020
from 87.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.1%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 87.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
86.9%
−3.8 ptssince 2016
from 90.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
9.7%
+3.9 ptssince 2016
from 5.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39.4%(92,464)
Married47.2%(110,674)
Widowed4%(9,302)
Divorced9.4%(21,997)
Women 15+
Never married31.9%(76,921)
Married44.8%(108,032)
Widowed11%(26,531)
Divorced12.2%(29,449)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.8%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 9.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 56.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.6%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
25.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.3%
−3.8 ptssince 2020
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
44.1%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 41.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.2%(5,242)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.9%(4,871)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35.4%(10,186)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.1%(2,057)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(291)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 28,798 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro

Largest cities

ScrantonCENTRAL75,514Wilkes-BarreCENTRAL44,523Hazleton30,286Dunmore14,249Kingston13,462Mountain Top11,850Nanticoke10,712Carbondale8,731Old Forge8,640Pittston7,715Archbald7,598Blakely6,611Taylor6,232Moosic5,989Dickson City5,976Plymouth5,801Exeter5,587Olyphant5,390West Hazleton5,284Duryea5,157Swoyersville5,155Clarks Summit5,069Edwardsville4,927West Pittston4,682Jessup4,506Larksville4,321Forty Fort4,280Plains4,153Throop4,113Freeland3,811

The 30 most populous of 101 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

3 component counties

Luzerne CountyCENTRAL332,126Lackawanna CountyCENTRAL216,502Wyoming County25,790
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Scranton

Toledo
Pop 599,376
Jackson
Pop 609,847
Springfield
Pop 500,694
Winston-Salem
Pop 712,206
Places similar to Scranton
Head to head

Compare Scranton side by side

SCRANTON VS
Toledo
Income$65,600+1%
Home value$179,767−4%
Population599,376+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SCRANTON VS
Jackson
Income$62,796−3%
Home value$199,216+7%
Population609,847+6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SCRANTON VS
Springfield
Income$66,064+2%
Home value$230,004+23%
Population500,694−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SCRANTON VS
Winston-Salem
Income$66,414+2%
Home value$235,492+26%
Population712,206+24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA has about 569,788 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

The typical household in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA earns about $65,051 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA expensive?

In Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA, the median home is worth about $186,490, and the typical rent is about $1,002 a month.

How educated are people in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

About 27.2% of adults age 25 and over in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA?

About 14.8% of people in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA grown since 1990?

Yes, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 5,476 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →