18701 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
18503
18701
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 42%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs72 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
19 · Bottom 1%
vs39 · Bottom 5%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
13 · Bottom 1%
vs15 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 18503 | 18701 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,629 | 4,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $36,107 | $33,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,530 | $18,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,437/sq mi | 8,554/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $267,200 | $203,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,184 | $902 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 2.4% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.2% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 39.0% | 20.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 500.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.7" | 38.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 81 mi | 82 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.3 | 23.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
18503
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
18701
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 18503 — Scranton, PA · 18701 — Wilkes-Barre, PA · How this is calculated: methodology