PlainZIP

Scranton, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18509

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

13,589
1,828/sq mi
$51,062
Median income
$183,700
Median home value
29.4%
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.

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
39th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,828
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18509 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18509 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Scranton, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, home to 13,589 residents across 7.4 square miles, a density of 1,828 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18509 reports a modest median household income of $51,062 (34% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $30,786. Poverty here runs at 18.9%, with unemployment measured at 4.9%. Median home value sits at $183,700 (19% below the state average), median rent at $1,039 a month, and owner-occupancy at 48.6%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38, and the average commute is 18 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 18509, plus 6 more within Lackawanna County, give a clearer read than the 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 18509

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Scranton, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18509.

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 18509, 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

13,589

Population

7.4

Area (sq mi)

1,828

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 18509?

38.0

Median Age

53.1%

Male

46.9%

Female

6.9%

Foreign-Born

White 76.8%
African American 8.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%

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?

$51,062

Median Household Income

-34% vs state

$30,786

Per Capita Income

18.9%

Poverty Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

18.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18509 ranks nationally

Scranton, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$51,062 15th percentile higher than 15% 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 64.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.4%

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

What does housing look like?

5,837

Total Housing Units

5,018

Occupied Units

819

Vacant Units

2.15

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.6%
Renter 51.4%

$183,700

Median Home Value

-19% vs state

$1,039

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

+32.6%

YoY Change (2024)

257

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+157%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18509 have increased 32.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +157% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.8% 154
2021 +8.6% 168
2022 +21.1% 203
2023 -4.4% 194
2024 +32.6% 257

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 307 business establishments in ZIP 18509, employing approximately 6,244 people with a combined annual payroll of $268,683,000.

307

Businesses

6,244

Employees

$268.7M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 61 19.9%
Retail trade 51 16.6%
Accommodation and food services 37 12.1%
Other services (except public administration) 37 12.1%
Manufacturing 23 7.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 4.9%
Wholesale trade 13 4.2%
Construction 12 3.9%
Finance and insurance 12 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 3.9%
Transportation and warehousing 9 2.9%
Educational services 7 2.3%
Information 6 1.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 1.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.0%

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 18509 vs 18510 →

ZIP 18509 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 18509 ranks #4 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 18509 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 18509 ranks #9 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 1.7 mi
18508 Scranton, PA 12,292 1.8 mi
18519 Scranton, PA 5,104 2.2 mi
18503 Scranton, PA 1,182 1.9 mi
18512 Scranton, PA 12,218 2.5 mi
18505 Scranton, PA 20,586 3.0 mi
18504 Scranton, PA 21,265 3.0 mi
18447 Olyphant, PA 10,548 5.5 mi
18452 Peckville, PA 4,802 4.6 mi
18517 Taylor, PA 5,274 4.4 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 18509 in? ▼
ZIP code 18509 (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 18509? ▼
ZIP code 18509 in Scranton, PA has a population of 13,589 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18509? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18509 is $51,062, which is 33% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18509? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18509 is $183,700, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18509? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18509 is White at 76.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18509? ▼
ZIP code 18509 has 307 business establishments employing approximately 6,244 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18509? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18509 are: Health care and social assistance (61), Retail trade (51), Accommodation and food services (37). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18509? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18509 increased by 32.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 157%. 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 18509? ▼
In ZIP code 18509, 64.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.4% 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 18509? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18509 is 18.4 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 18509? ▼
In ZIP code 18509, approximately 48.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18509? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18509 is 18.9% 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.