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Cost of Living in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Scranton, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.

Population
75,514
Median household income
$48,762
Cost of living (US = 100)
93.6
Unemployment rate
4.8%

Is Scranton a good place to live?

Scranton is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 125 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better.

A typical worker in Scranton keeps $4,497 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job

  • Cost of living6% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
  • Rent$1,135 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
  • Taxes$1,422 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $1,731 of local income tax

Cost of living in Scranton

Prices in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA area run 6% below the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 33% below the US average.

  • Housing33% below the US average
  • Goods (food, clothing, cars)1% above the US average
  • Utilities7% above the US average
  • Other services (healthcare and more)2% below the US average
  • All items6% below the US average

Monthly budget for one person

CostMonthlyYearly
Rent, 1-bedroom$1,135$13,620
Food$497$5,964
Transportation$393$4,716
Healthcare$344$4,128
Utilities$277$3,324
Total before taxes$2,646$31,752

Rent by apartment size

Monthly rentScrantonWhole metro area
Studio$974$949
1 bedroom$1,135$1,106
2 bedrooms$1,399$1,363
3 bedrooms$1,834$1,786
4 bedrooms$2,015$1,962

Living in Scranton

How Scranton compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).

MeasureScrantonUS
Median household income$48,762$81,604
Median home value$177,500$360,600
Median rent paid$1,102$1,487
Households renting53.7%34.7%
Unemployment rate4.8%4.6%
Living below the poverty line28.3%12.2%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher25.8%36.9%
Median age36.9 years39.2 years
Average commute, one way20.2 minutes27.2 minutes
Working from home9%13.3%
Commuting by public transit1.2%3.7%

The 1-year survey doesn’t publish commuting method for Scranton, so those figures come from the 2020–2024 5-year estimates.

Home internet

8 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Scranton, led by Xfinity, ICON Technologies Inc, T-Mobile, SkyPacket. Fiber reaches 93.4% of homes and 99.1% can get gigabit speeds.

Pros and cons of living in Scranton

Pros

  • Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 20.2 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
  • Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,102 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
  • Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $177,500, against $360,600 nationally.
  • Lower cost of living. Prices are 6% below the US average (BEA, 2024).

Cons

  • Higher poverty rate. 28.3% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
  • Paychecks don't stretch far. A typical worker keeps $4,497 a year, less than in 125 of 178 large cities.
  • Lower incomes. Median household income is $48,762, against $81,604 nationally.
  • Local income tax. Residents also pay Scranton city and school district earned income tax (resident rate) and Scranton Local Services Tax income tax: $1,731 on a typical wage.

What your job keeps in Scranton

Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.

Typical worker in Scranton, PA
Typical salary
$46,330
Federal income tax
−$3,380
Payroll taxes
−$3,544
State income tax
−$1,422
Local income tax
−$1,731
Rent, 1-bedroom
−$13,620
Everyday costs
−$18,136
You keep$4,497

a year, or $375 a month

Pay: BLS OEWS Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.

From $46,330 gross, deductions leave $4,497 a year.
Salary$46,330Federal income tax−$3,380Payroll taxes−$3,544State income tax−$1,422Local income tax−$1,731Rent, 1-bedroom−$13,620Everyday costs−$18,136You keep$4,497

What the most common jobs keep here

The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA area.

JobMedian payYou keep
Registered nurse$82,650$29,715
Teacher$77,075$26,153
Police officer$72,210$23,046
Accountant$70,480$21,940
Licensed practical nurse$61,740$15,882
Carpenter$60,240$14,774
Truck driver$57,580$12,807
Social worker$50,582$7,637
Auto mechanic$47,600$5,436
Nursing assistant$43,980$2,761

Other jobs, A–Z

What each keeps in Scranton on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.

  • Civil engineer $38,070
  • Data scientist $31,056
  • Dental assistant $5,155
  • Dental hygienist $22,100
  • Dentist $100,999
  • Diesel mechanic $16,502
  • Electrician $21,340
  • Financial analyst $25,683
  • Firefighter $14,899
  • HVAC technician $15,888
  • Lawyer $41,067
  • Lineman $44,777
  • Mechanical engineer $30,527
  • Medical assistant $1,859
  • Nurse practitioner $57,830
  • Occupational therapist $36,805
  • Paralegal $12,824
  • Paramedic $12,912
  • Pharmacist $60,386
  • Pharmacy technician −$2,929
  • Physical therapist $40,492
  • Physician assistant $57,465
  • Plumber $15,453
  • Project manager $35,573
  • Radiologic technologist $20,829
  • Respiratory therapist $26,987
  • Software engineer $53,548
  • Speech-language pathologist $36,563
  • Veterinarian $57,917
  • Welder $6,536

Local income tax: Scranton levies the Local Services Tax at $156 under its financial recovery plan (the statewide limit is $52).

Compare Scranton with other cities

Compare Scranton with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.

Moving to Scranton

5 licensed interstate movers are based in Scranton, and 12 more elsewhere in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).

More cities in Pennsylvania

Questions people ask

Is Scranton, PA a good place to live?

Scranton is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 125 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better. The typical worker here earns $46,330 and keeps $4,497 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.

What is the cost of living in Scranton?

Prices in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA area are 6% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,135 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,511 a month.

How much do you need to earn to live in Scranton?

A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $40,300 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA area earns $46,330.

What is the average rent in Scranton?

HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $974 for a studio, $1,135 for a 1-bedroom and $1,399 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Scranton at $1,102 a month (2024).

Does Scranton have a state or city income tax?

Yes. On a typical wage of $46,330, Pennsylvania state income tax comes to about $1,422 a year. Scranton residents also pay Scranton city and school district earned income tax (resident rate) and Scranton Local Services Tax income tax, about $1,731 on the same wage.

What internet providers serve Scranton?

8 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Scranton, led by Xfinity, ICON Technologies Inc, T-Mobile, SkyPacket. 93.4% of homes can get fiber and 99.1% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).

Sources and method

Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.

Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate