Scranton Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Scranton, PA (the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre metro area) was $798 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Scranton was $762 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Scranton median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Scranton rental vacancy rates, Scranton rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Scranton.
Real Gross Rent in Scranton Pennsylvania (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Pennsylvania Median Gross Rent | $951 | +0.74% | +3.03% |
| Scranton, PA Median Gross Rent | $798 | -1.12% | +6.97% |
Scranton, PA Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Scranton peaked in real terms in 2018 at $807 and is now $9 (1.12%) lower. Average gross rent for Scranton peaked in real terms in 2018 at $764 and is now $2 (0.26%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Scranton: Scranton PA Median, Scranton PA Average, Pennsylvania Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Scranton
| Date | US Median |
Pennsylvania Median |
Scranton, PA Median |
Scranton, PA Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $951 | $798 | $762 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $944 | $807 | $764 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $921 | $788 | $741 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $923 | $746 | $723 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $921 | $799 | $762 |
| 2014 | $986 | $895 | $770 | $724 |
| 2013 | $953 | $872 | $715 | $695 |
| 2012 | $940 | $849 | $685 | $666 |
| 2011 | $941 | $849 | $719 | $690 |
| 2010 | $955 | $853 | $706 | $688 |
| 2009 | $960 | $841 | $700 | $690 |
| 2007 | $927 | $805 | $692 | $646 |
| 2005 | $910 | $809 | $661 | $630 |
Scranton Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Scranton Pennsylvania was 3.16% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Scranton Pennsylvania
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Pennsylvania | 4.87% | -0.42% | -0.90% |
| Scranton, PA | 3.16% | -3.46% | -2.51% |
Trends in Scranton, PA Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Scranton peaked in 2008 at 7.78%. Since then it has fallen by 4.62% to 3.16%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Scranton PA, Pennsylvania, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Scranton
| Date | US | Pennsylvania | Scranton, PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 4.87% | 3.16% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 5.29% | 6.62% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 5.84% | 3.76% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 5.77% | 5.67% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 5.77% | 5.65% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 6.40% | 7.16% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 5.78% | 4.02% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 5.88% | 3.52% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 6.13% | 3.25% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 6.47% | 3.54% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 6.80% | 5.58% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 7.34% | 6.76% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 7.94% | 5.96% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Scranton, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Scranton, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.63% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Scranton Pennsylvania Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Pennsylvania | 17.98% | -0.28% | -0.60% |
| Scranton, PA | 17.63% | +0.05% | -0.38% |
Trends in Scranton, PA Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Scranton household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.33%. Since then it has fallen by 1.70% to 17.63%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Scranton PA, Pennsylvania, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Scranton Pennsylvania
| Date | US | Pennsylvania | Scranton, PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 17.98% | 17.63% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 18.26% | 17.58% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 18.10% | 18.01% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 18.58% | 18.02% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 18.70% | 18.19% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 19.12% | 19.33% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 19.11% | 17.97% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 18.69% | 18.02% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 18.78% | 18.20% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 18.58% | 17.90% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 17.88% | 17.62% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 16.92% | 16.85% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 17.43% | 17.05% |
Renter Fraction in Scranton Pennsylvania
You can calculate the renter fraction in Scranton in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Scranton as a fraction of total Scranton households. In 2019 33.76% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Scranton Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Pennsylvania | 31.59% | +0.19% | +0.09% |
| Scranton, PA | 33.76% | +1.23% | +0.52% |
Trends in the Scranton, PA Renter Fraction
The Scranton household renter fraction peaked in in 2012 at 34.45% and is now 0.69% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Scranton PA, Pennsylvania, US
History of Scranton Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Pennsylvania | Scranton, PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 31.59% | 33.76% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 31.40% | 32.53% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 31.70% | 34.16% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 31.50% | 33.24% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 31.28% | 32.54% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 31.17% | 31.56% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 31.05% | 32.00% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 31.09% | 34.45% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 30.51% | 32.80% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 29.87% | 32.16% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 29.48% | 31.94% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 28.36% | 31.33% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 28.52% | 30.29% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
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