Scranton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Scranton
Hazleton
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
45 · Bottom 40%
vs44 · Bottom 38%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs62 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Scranton | Hazleton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,033 | 30,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,739 | $46,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,347 | $22,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,004/sq mi | 5,042/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,100 | $151,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $1,089 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 51.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 7.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.5% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.0% | 25.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.5 | 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 | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 22.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.97 | 16.53 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.5% | 9.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.4% | 24.6% | 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
Scranton
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Hazleton
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Scranton, PA · Hazleton, PA · How this is calculated: methodology