PlainZIP

Scranton, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18508

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

12,292
698/sq mi
$49,895
Median income
$145,400
Median home value
18.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Scranton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

14th pct
household income, US ZIPs
24th pct
home value, US ZIPs
698
people per sq mi
54%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18508 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18508 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, home to 12,292 residents across 17.6 square miles, a density of 698 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18508 reports a modest median household income of $49,895 (36% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $26,390. The poverty rate stands at 23.2% and the unemployment rate at 3.1%. Housing costs here run $145,400 for a typical home value (36% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,037 a month; 54.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.1, and the average commute is 18 minutes. To put 18508 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 18508

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Scranton, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18508.

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 18508, 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

12,292

Population

17.6

Area (sq mi)

698

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 18508?

40.1

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

7.2%

Foreign-Born

White 75.2%
African American 8.3%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%

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?

$49,895

Median Household Income

-36% vs state

$26,390

Per Capita Income

23.2%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

17.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18508 ranks nationally

Scranton, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,895 14th percentile higher than 14% 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 62.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.7%

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

What does housing look like?

5,547

Total Housing Units

4,683

Occupied Units

864

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 54.4%
Renter 45.6%

$145,400

Median Home Value

-36% vs state

$1,037

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

+9.6%

YoY Change (2024)

229

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+129%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18508 have increased 9.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -9.1% 143
2021 +11.3% 159
2022 +17.9% 188
2023 +11.0% 209
2024 +9.6% 229

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 373 business establishments in ZIP 18508, employing approximately 5,917 people with a combined annual payroll of $241,564,000.

373

Businesses

5,917

Employees

$241.6M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 106 28.4%
Health care and social assistance 66 17.7%
Accommodation and food services 59 15.8%
Other services (except public administration) 40 10.7%
Construction 15 4.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 4.0%
Wholesale trade 13 3.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 13 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 13 3.5%
Finance and insurance 10 2.7%
Information 7 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 1.6%
Manufacturing 5 1.3%
Educational services 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 18508 vs 18519 →

ZIP 18508 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 18508 ranks #6 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 18508 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 18508 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
18519 Scranton, PA 5,104 1.5 mi
18509 Scranton, PA 13,589 1.8 mi
18503 Scranton, PA 1,182 3.1 mi
18510 Scranton, PA 14,119 3.5 mi
18504 Scranton, PA 21,265 3.0 mi
18505 Scranton, PA 20,586 4.6 mi
18411 Clarks Summit, PA 21,985 4.5 mi
18512 Scranton, PA 12,218 3.8 mi
18447 Olyphant, PA 10,548 4.3 mi
18452 Peckville, PA 4,802 4.0 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 18508 in? ▼
ZIP code 18508 (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 18508? ▼
ZIP code 18508 in Scranton, PA has a population of 12,292 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18508? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18508 is $49,895, which is 35% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18508? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18508 is $145,400, which is 48% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18508? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18508 is White at 75.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18508? ▼
ZIP code 18508 has 373 business establishments employing approximately 5,917 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18508? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18508 are: Retail trade (106), Health care and social assistance (66), Accommodation and food services (59). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18508? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18508 increased by 9.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 129%. 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 18508? ▼
In ZIP code 18508, 62.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.7% 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 18508? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18508 is 17.5 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 18508? ▼
In ZIP code 18508, approximately 54.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 45.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18508? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18508 is 23.2% 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.