Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Scranton, PA

    Is Scranton a good place to live?

    Watch Scranton

    Scranton ranks #12 of 25 Pennsylvania cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (49/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.1% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $141,700
    +12.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $991
    per month
    Household income
    $49,531
    median
    Unemployment
    5.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Scranton

    The median home value in Scranton is $141,700 and median rent is $991 a month, against a median household income of $49,531. Homes cost about 2.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Scranton crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Pennsylvania the 2025 rate was 229 violent and 1,360 property crimes per 100,000 people — #34 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Scranton, PA

    Scranton has about 76,074 residents, 5.5% unemployment and 14% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Scranton with

    Scranton vs PhiladelphiaScranton vs PittsburghScranton vs AllentownScranton vs ReadingScranton vs ErieScranton vs BethlehemScranton vs LancasterScranton vs Levittown

    More: Where to move in Pennsylvania · Best counties in Pennsylvania

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report