Scranton, PA · standard
ZIP Code 18505
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 20,586
- 934/sq mi High-density area
- $52,398
- Median income Below-median income area
- $156,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 25.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Scranton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 17th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 28th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 934
- people per sq mi
- 54%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18505 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 18505 (Scranton, PA) rose +6.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 188.7 in 2023 to 200.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 18505 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, with 20,586 residents across 22.0 square miles, a density of 934 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 18505 reports a modest median household income of $52,398 (33% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,178. The poverty rate is 20.0%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $156,700 (31% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $994; owner occupancy is 54.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lackawanna County, so 18505 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 18505
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Scranton, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18505.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
66 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
58 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
40 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
39 establishments
- Finance and insurance 20
Finance and insurance
20 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 18505, 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
20,586
Population
22.0
Area (sq mi)
934
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 18505?
40.0
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
17.1%
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?
$52,398
Median Household Income
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$31,178
Per Capita Income
20.0%
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Unemployment Rate
20.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 18505 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)
$52,398 11th percentile higher than 11% 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
9,992housing units
9,992
Total Housing Units
8,441
Occupied Units
1,551
Vacant Units
2.40
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$156,700
Median Home Value
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$994
Median Rent
1947
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
+6.1%
YoY Change (2024)
200
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+100%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 18505 have increased 6.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +100% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -3.8% | 126 |
| 2021 | +8.6% | 137 |
| 2022 | +22.0% | 167 |
| 2023 | +13.1% | 189 |
| 2024 | +6.1% | 200 |
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 335 business establishments in ZIP 18505, employing approximately 6,670 people with a combined annual payroll of $279,466,000.
335
Businesses
6,670
Employees
$279.5M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 66 | 19.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 58 | 17.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 40 | 11.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 39 | 11.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 20 | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 19 | 5.7% |
| Construction | 18 | 5.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 5.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 16 | 4.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 3.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 3.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 2.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.9% |
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 18505 vs 18510 →
ZIP 18505 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 18505 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 18505 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 18505 ranks #8 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 |
| 18503 | Scranton, PA | 1,182 | 1.8 mi |
| 18509 | Scranton, PA | 13,589 | 3.0 mi |
| 18507 | Moosic, PA | 4,891 | 2.7 mi |
| 18517 | Taylor, PA | 5,274 | 3.2 mi |
| 18508 | Scranton, PA | 12,292 | 4.6 mi |
| 18504 | Scranton, PA | 21,265 | 3.6 mi |
| 18519 | Scranton, PA | 5,104 | 5.3 mi |
| 18512 | Scranton, PA | 12,218 | 4.1 mi |
| 18518 | Old Forge, PA | 8,313 | 4.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 18505, 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 (20,586 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 18505 in?
ZIP code 18505 (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 18505?
ZIP code 18505 in Scranton, PA has a population of 20,586 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18505?
The median household income in ZIP 18505 is $52,398, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18505?
The median home value in ZIP 18505 is $156,700, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18505?
The largest racial group in ZIP 18505 is White at 62.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 24.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18505?
ZIP code 18505 has 335 business establishments employing approximately 6,670 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18505?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18505 are: Retail trade (66), Health care and social assistance (58), Accommodation and food services (40). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18505?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18505 increased by 6.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 100%. 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 18505?
In ZIP code 18505, 61.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.9% 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 18505?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18505 is 20.7 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 18505?
In ZIP code 18505, approximately 54.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 45.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18505?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18505 is 20.0% 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 18505's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 18505 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.