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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
median household income $65,051, 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
Unique to this place

What stands out about Scranton

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$146,044 → $186,490 (+28%)US over the same years: +67%

Among the 36 metro and micro areas based in Pennsylvania

  • 19th in household income$65,051
  • 12th in share with a bachelor's degree27.2%
  • 19th in home value$186,490
  • 7th in diversity score47.4
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
1990 – 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
1990 – 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
Over time

Scranton, decade by decade

Scranton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990575,264$58,175$146,04413.7%5.0
2000560,625$62,218$158,11517.5%9.6
2010563,631$61,909$178,00121.4%25.1
2020567,559$65,257$171,03025.4%44.6
2024569,788$65,051$186,49027.2%47.4

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

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 →