Scranton and Wilkes-Barre 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
Scranton
Wilkes-Barre
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
45 · Bottom 40%
vs57 · Top 38%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
64 · Top 44%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Scranton | Wilkes-Barre | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,033 | 44,423 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,739 | $48,515 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,347 | $25,979 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,004/sq mi | 6,487/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,100 | $117,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $946 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.9% | 51.2% | 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 | 23.1% | 20.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.0% | 23.1% | 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 | 20.7 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.97 | 17.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.5% | 13.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.4% | 30.3% | 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.
Wilkes-Barre
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Scranton
52
Your Score
54
Area Score
Wilkes-Barre
53
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Scranton, PA · Wilkes-Barre, PA · How this is calculated: methodology