18504 and 18509 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
18504
18509
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs50 · Bottom 39%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 43%
vs64 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Schools
34 · Bottom 28%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
53 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 7%
vs26 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 18504 | 18509 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,069 | 13,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,036 | $51,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,044 | $30,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,058/sq mi | 4,415/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $160,900 | $183,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,050 | $1,039 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.9% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.9% | 18.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 4 | 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% | 100.0% | 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 | 80 mi | 80 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 19.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.12 | 12.35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.8% | 13.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.3% | 96.0% | 2024-25 school 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
18504
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
18509
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 18504 — Scranton, PA · 18509 — Scranton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology