Scranton is a city located in Lackawanna County Pennsylvania. Scranton has a 2024 population of 75,682. It is also the county seat of Lackawanna County. Scranton is currently declining at a rate of -0.16% annually and its population has decreased by -0.65% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 76,174 in 2020.
The average household income in Scranton is $68,304 with a poverty rate of 19.62%. The median age in Scranton is 37.3 years: 35.9 years for males, and 38.7 years for females.
Scranton is a city located in the state of Pennsylvania. It is located in Lackawanna County and is part of the Scranton-Wilkes Barre-Hazelton metropolitan area, which is home to over half a million residents. Scranton serves as the county seat for Lackawanna County.
Over 83% of the adult population (at least 25 years old) has graduated from high school and over 57% of the residents aged 16 and over, work in the labor force.
The city of Scranton’s population history shows that its most significant rate of growth occurred during the 19th and early 20th centuries. However, the city began to post declines in its population starting in 1940. The population continued to drop at every 10-year census following. The peak population for Scranton was recorded at the 1930 census when the number reached over 143,000.
That number today has nearly been cut in half due to significant declines in population. However, estimates taken from 2016 show that the population is up 1.6% since the 2010 census. This could mean that after many years of population loss, efforts to revitalize the city may prove to be successful.
The Lenape tribe first inhabited the area that is now the city of Scranton. The first European settler to live in the area was Isaac Tripp, who arrived in 1778. During the late 18th century into the 19th century, more settlers came to the city from Connecticut following the Revolutionary War. These settlers worked to build mills and other businesses, establishing a village.
The city began to grow more rapidly in the 1840s with the founding of what would later become the Lackawanna Steel Company. In its earliest years, the company produced rails for railroads in Erie and other areas.
The city began to expand with the arrival of the railroad and the influx of immigrants from the end of the 19th century through the early 20th century. Irish, Italian and South German settlers came to call this area home. In the mid 19th century, Scranton was incorporated as a borough. Ten years later, it was incorporated as a city and had a population of 35,000. In the years that followed, the railway system continued to expand, and Scranton earned the nickname “The Electric City” for its electrified trolley system. Coal mines and steel mills continued to propel the population to over 100,000 by the 20th century.
However, after World War II, the production of coal and rail traffic declined, leading to a loss of jobs and the closing of many businesses. Beginning in the 1980s, Scranton had started to rebuild and revitalize its economy, with many historic properties being transformed into tourist attractions.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Scranton was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 56,535 | 74.27% |
Two or more races | 8,053 | 10.58% |
Black or African American | 4,610 | 6.06% |
Asian | 3,622 | 4.76% |
Other race | 3,154 | 4.14% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 99 | 0.13% |
Native American | 46 | 0.06% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Native American
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 29,947 | 2.36 | 50.3 | 49.7 |
Non Family | 13,069 | 1.22 | 38 | 62 |
Married | 10,569 | 3.24 | 73.4 | 26.6 |
Female | 4,511 | 3.26 | 35.8 | 64.2 |
Male | 1,798 | 3.16 | 40.2 | 59.8 |
3.1
Average Family Size
2.36
Average Household Size
50.3%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 4,043 | 8.1% |
Associates Degree | 4,423 | 8.86% |
Bachelors Degree | 7,200 | 14.42% |
Graduate Degree | 4,131 | 8.28% |
High School Graduate | 19,769 | 39.61% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 2,094 | 4.2% |
Some College | 8,254 | 16.54% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 37,580 | 34,621 | 9,576 |
Hispanic | 5,963 | 4,093 | 549 |
2+ Races | 3,353 | 2,459 | 322 |
Black | 2,601 | 2,254 | 274 |
Asian | 2,347 | 1,594 | 672 |
Other Race | 1,958 | 1,299 | 197 |
Islander | 48 | 48 | 0 |
Native American | 30 | 24 | 1 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 28.63%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $49,894 | $52,102 | $47,780 |
Graduate Degree | $62,050 | $62,634 | $61,761 |
High School Graduate | $33,167 | $37,420 | $27,848 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $29,407 | $30,804 | $27,044 |
Overall | $37,762 | $41,100 | $34,821 |
Some College | $35,567 | $38,297 | $33,953 |
$37,762
Average Earnings
$41,100
Average Male
$34,821
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
81.86% of Scranton residents speak only English, while 18.14% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 11.02% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 47,982 | 7,684 | 16.01% |
Hispanic | 11,810 | 3,900 | 33.02% |
Multiple | 7,714 | 2,205 | 28.58% |
Black | 4,104 | 1,070 | 26.07% |
Other | 3,066 | 930 | 30.33% |
Asian | 3,537 | 278 | 7.86% |
Islander | 66 | 66 | 100% |
Native | 29 | 12 | 41.38% |
19.62%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.57%
Male Poverty Rate
21.64%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Scranton is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Scranton is Asian, with 7.86% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.16%. Among those working part-time, it was 24.3%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.42%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 25.99% |
High School | 16.68% |
Some College | 13.44% |
Bachelors or Greater | 6.86% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 58.71% |
Male Unemployed | 47.74% |
Female Employed | 10.1% |
Male Employed | 7.68% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $66,007 | $82,656 |
Households | $48,776 | $68,304 |
Married Families | $87,381 | $103,873 |
Non Families | $32,062 | $46,085 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
36.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
37.5%
Male Marriage Rate
36.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
3,854
Number of Veterans
3,671
Male Veterans
183
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 1,181 |
Second Gulf War | 588 |
First Gulf War | 403 |
Korea | 322 |
World War II | 91 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 1,043 |
75+ | 1,043 |
55 to 64 | 712 |
35 to 54 | 683 |
18 to 34 | 373 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 3,549 | 7.51% |
Black | 134 | 4.06% |
Hispanic | 111 | 1.44% |
2+ Races | 68 | 1.5% |
Other Race | 64 | 2.67% |
Asian | 39 | 1.4% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
11.63%
Veteran Poverty Rate
40.85%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57.8%
Labor Force Participation
54.5%
Employment Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
65.8%
Born in Scranton
89.92%
Native Born
10.08%
Foreign Born
5.29%
Non Citizen
4.78%
Naturalized
89.92% of Scranton residents were born in the United States, with 65.8% having been born in Pennsylvania. 5.29% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 75,067 | -123 | -0.16% |
2028 | 75,190 | -123 | -0.16% |
2027 | 75,313 | -123 | -0.16% |
2026 | 75,436 | -123 | -0.16% |
2025 | 75,559 | -123 | -0.16% |
2024 | 75,682 | -123 | -0.16% |
2023 | 75,805 | -63 | -0.08% |
2022 | 75,868 | -299 | -0.39% |
2021 | 76,167 | -7 | -0.01% |
2020 | 76,174 | -769 | -1% |
2019 | 76,943 | -79 | -0.1% |
2018 | 77,022 | -239 | -0.31% |
2017 | 77,261 | -4 | -0.01% |
2016 | 77,265 | 84 | 0.11% |
2015 | 77,181 | 1,715 | 2.27% |
2014 | 75,466 | -383 | -0.5% |
2013 | 75,849 | -185 | -0.24% |
2012 | 76,034 | 103 | 0.14% |
2011 | 75,931 | -146 | -0.19% |
2010 | 76,077 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 76,415 | -5,390 | -6.59% |
1990 | 81,805 | -6,312 | -7.16% |
1980 | 88,117 | -14,579 | -14.2% |
1970 | 102,696 | -8,747 | -7.85% |
1960 | 111,443 | -14,093 | -11.23% |
1950 | 125,536 | -14,868 | -10.59% |
1940 | 140,404 | -3,029 | -2.11% |
1930 | 143,433 | 5,650 | 4.1% |
1920 | 137,783 | 7,916 | 6.1% |
1910 | 129,867 | 27,841 | 27.29% |
1900 | 102,026 | 26,811 | 35.65% |
1890 | 75,215 | 29,365 | 64.05% |
1880 | 45,850 | 10,758 | 30.66% |
1870 | 35,092 | 25,869 | 280.48% |
1860 | 9,223 | -65,844 | -87.71% |