18508 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
18508
18509
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 30%
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
84 · Top 44%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
30 · Bottom 9%
vs26 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 18508 | 18509 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,565 | 13,055 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,895 | $51,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,390 | $30,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,708/sq mi | 4,415/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $145,400 | $183,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 | $1,039 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.4% | 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 | 18.7% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.2% | 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 | 19.3 min | 19.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 6.86 | 12.35 | 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
18508
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
18509
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 18508 — Scranton, PA · 18509 — Scranton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology