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 High-density area
- $36,107
- Median income Below-median income area
- $267,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 51.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,530. The poverty rate is 39.0%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Housing costs run above the statewide ZIP benchmark while renting is common: median home value is $267,200 (18% above the average Pennsylvania ZIP), with only 2.4% owner-occupied homes and median rent of $1,184.
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 -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lackawanna County, so 18503 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
104 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
73 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 40
Accommodation and food services
40 establishments
- Retail trade 39
Retail trade
39 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 35
Other services (except public administration)
35 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 18503?
30.3
Median Age
53.0%
Male
47.0%
Female
11.0%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$29,530
Per Capita Income
39.0%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 18503 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Scranton, PA household income vs. every Pennsylvania ZIP code
Median household income among 1,642 reporting Pennsylvania ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$36,107 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 1,642 Pennsylvania ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Pennsylvania 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,175housing units
1,175
Total Housing Units
861
Occupied Units
314
Vacant Units
1.26
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$267,200
Median Home Value
+18% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 18504
Scranton (18504)
21,265 residents
- 18505
Scranton (18505)
20,586 residents
- 18510
Scranton (18510)
14,119 residents
- 18509
Scranton (18509)
13,589 residents
- 18508
Scranton (18508)
12,292 residents
- 18512
Scranton (18512)
12,218 residents
- 18518 8,313
Old Forge (18518)
8,313 residents
- 18517 5,274
Taylor (18517)
5,274 residents
- 18519 5,104
Scranton (18519)
5,104 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 18503 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 18503 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 18517
Taylor (18517)
$77,120 median income
- 18507
Moosic (18507)
$75,395 median income
- 18518
Old Forge (18518)
$71,812 median income
- 18512
Scranton (18512)
$64,708 median income
- 18519
Scranton (18519)
$58,500 median income
- 18504
Scranton (18504)
$55,036 median income
- 18510
Scranton (18510)
$53,235 median income
- 18505
Scranton (18505)
$52,398 median income
- 18509
Scranton (18509)
$51,062 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 18503, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,182 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lackawanna County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 18503's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 18503 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Scranton, PA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.