Nanticoke and Scranton 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
Nanticoke
Scranton
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs45 · Bottom 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 33%
vs64 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs29 · Bottom 21%
Access
50 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 13%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Nanticoke | Scranton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,653 | 76,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,462 | $50,739 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,767 | $28,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,082/sq mi | 3,004/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $108,100 | $158,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $792 | $1,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.5% | 49.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.6% | 2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 23.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 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 | 81 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.04 | 12.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.7% | 12.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.2% | 33.4% | 2019-20 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
Nanticoke
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Scranton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Nanticoke, PA · Scranton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology