PlainZIP

Scranton, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18504

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

21,265
952/sq mi
$55,036
Median income
$160,900
Median home value
19.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Scranton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
30th pct
home value, US ZIPs
952
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18504 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18504 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, with 21,265 residents across 22.3 square miles, a density of 952 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18504 reports a modest median household income of $55,036 (29% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $29,044. Poverty here runs at 23.9%, with unemployment measured at 6.6%. The typical home here is valued at $160,900 (29% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,050 monthly, and 57.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.4, and the average commute is 19 minutes. To put 18504 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Lackawanna County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 18504

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Scranton, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18504.

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 18504, 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

21,265

Population

22.3

Area (sq mi)

952

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 18504?

39.4

Median Age

47.4%

Male

52.6%

Female

8.5%

Foreign-Born

White 70.5%
African American 5.6%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 11.7%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%

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?

$55,036

Median Household Income

-29% vs state

$29,044

Per Capita Income

23.9%

Poverty Rate

6.6%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18504 ranks nationally

Scranton, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$55,036 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $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 61.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.7%

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

What does housing look like?

9,981

Total Housing Units

8,587

Occupied Units

1,394

Vacant Units

2.44

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.9%
Renter 42.1%

$160,900

Median Home Value

-29% vs state

$1,050

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+13.9%

YoY Change (2024)

203

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+103%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18504 have increased 13.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +103% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.8% 123
2021 +16.4% 144
2022 +17.4% 169
2023 +5.7% 178
2024 +13.9% 203

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 270 business establishments in ZIP 18504, employing approximately 3,543 people with a combined annual payroll of $187,089,000.

270

Businesses

3,543

Employees

$187.1M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 56 20.7%
Other services (except public administration) 37 13.7%
Health care and social assistance 35 13.0%
Accommodation and food services 33 12.2%
Construction 19 7.0%
Wholesale trade 17 6.3%
Manufacturing 13 4.8%
Transportation and warehousing 12 4.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12 4.4%
Finance and insurance 11 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 2.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 2.2%
Information 4 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 1.5%

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 18504 vs 18517 →

ZIP 18504 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 18504 ranks #2 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 18504 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 18504 ranks #6 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
18517 Taylor, PA 5,274 2.3 mi
18503 Scranton, PA 1,182 1.9 mi
18509 Scranton, PA 13,589 3.0 mi
18508 Scranton, PA 12,292 3.0 mi
18411 Clarks Summit, PA 21,985 3.1 mi
18510 Scranton, PA 14,119 3.5 mi
18505 Scranton, PA 20,586 3.6 mi
18507 Moosic, PA 4,891 5.0 mi
18518 Old Forge, PA 8,313 4.1 mi
18519 Scranton, PA 5,104 4.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lackawanna County

18411 standard
Clarks Summit, PA
Pop: 21,985
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
18509 standard
Scranton, PA
Pop: 13,589

Related Areas

Lackawanna County Scranton, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18504 in? ▼
ZIP code 18504 (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 18504? ▼
ZIP code 18504 in Scranton, PA has a population of 21,265 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18504? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18504 is $55,036, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18504? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18504 is $160,900, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18504? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18504 is White at 70.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 18.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18504? ▼
ZIP code 18504 has 270 business establishments employing approximately 3,543 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18504? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18504 are: Retail trade (56), Other services (except public administration) (37), Health care and social assistance (35). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18504? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18504 increased by 13.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 103%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 18504? ▼
In ZIP code 18504, 61.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 18504? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18504 is 18.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 18504? ▼
In ZIP code 18504, approximately 57.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18504? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18504 is 23.9% 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.