PlainZIP

Scranton, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18503

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

1,182
986/sq mi
$36,107
Median income
$267,200
Median home value
51.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Scranton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 39%
home value, US ZIPs
986
people per sq mi
2%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18503 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18503 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, home to just 1,182 residents across 1.2 square miles, a density of 986 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18503 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,107 (54% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $29,530. Poverty here runs at 39.0%, with unemployment measured at 2.2%. The typical home here is valued at $267,200 (18% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,184 monthly, and 2.4% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.3, and the average commute is -. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lackawanna County, so you can benchmark 18503 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 18503

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Scranton, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18503.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 18503, Scranton, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

1,182

Population

1.2

Area (sq mi)

986

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 18503?

30.3

Median Age

53.0%

Male

47.0%

Female

11.0%

Foreign-Born

White 74.4%
African American 9.1%
Asian 10.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$36,107

Median Household Income

-54% vs state

$29,530

Per Capita Income

39.0%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 18503 ranks nationally

Scranton, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$36,107 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 79.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,175

Total Housing Units

861

Occupied Units

314

Vacant Units

1.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 2.4%
Renter 97.6%

$267,200

Median Home Value

+18% vs state

$1,184

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 377 business establishments in ZIP 18503, employing approximately 4,735 people with a combined annual payroll of $280,145,000.

377

Businesses

4,735

Employees

$280.1M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 104 27.6%
Health care and social assistance 73 19.4%
Accommodation and food services 40 10.6%
Retail trade 39 10.3%
Other services (except public administration) 35 9.3%
Finance and insurance 32 8.5%
Information 11 2.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 2.6%
Educational services 7 1.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.6%
Wholesale trade 5 1.3%
Construction 3 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 18503 vs 18510 →

ZIP 18503 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18503 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 18503 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 18503 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
18510 Scranton, PA 14,119 1.6 mi
18505 Scranton, PA 20,586 1.8 mi
18509 Scranton, PA 13,589 1.9 mi
18504 Scranton, PA 21,265 1.9 mi
18508 Scranton, PA 12,292 3.1 mi
18517 Taylor, PA 5,274 2.6 mi
18507 Moosic, PA 4,891 3.9 mi
18519 Scranton, PA 5,104 4.0 mi
18512 Scranton, PA 12,218 3.9 mi
18518 Old Forge, PA 8,313 4.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lackawanna County

18411 standard
Clarks Summit, PA
Pop: 21,985
18504 standard
Scranton, PA
Pop: 21,265
18505 standard
Scranton, PA
Pop: 20,586
18510 standard
Scranton, PA
Pop: 14,119
18407 standard
Carbondale, PA
Pop: 13,862
18444 standard
Moscow, PA
Pop: 13,778

Related Areas

Lackawanna County Scranton, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18503 in? ▼
ZIP code 18503 (Scranton) is located in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Lackawanna County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lackawanna-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 18503? ▼
ZIP code 18503 in Scranton, PA has a population of 1,182 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18503? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18503 is $36,107, which is 53% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18503? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18503 is $267,200, which is 4% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18503? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18503 is White at 74.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18503? ▼
ZIP code 18503 has 377 business establishments employing approximately 4,735 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18503? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18503 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (104), Health care and social assistance (73), Accommodation and food services (40). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18503? ▼
In ZIP code 18503, 79.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 18503? ▼
In ZIP code 18503, approximately 2.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 97.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18503? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18503 is 39.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.