PlainZIP

Old Forge, PA · standard

ZIP Code 18518

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

8,313
794/sq mi
$71,812
Median income
$174,400
Median home value
30.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Old Forge pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 50%
household income, US ZIPs
36th pct
home value, US ZIPs
794
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 18518 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 18518 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Old Forge, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, home to 8,313 residents across 10.5 square miles, a density of 794 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 18518 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,812 (8% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $40,219. Local economic indicators show a 7.4% poverty rate alongside 5.5% unemployment. Median home value sits at $174,400 (23% below the state average), median rent at $859 a month, and owner-occupancy at 70.0%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 18518, 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 18518

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Old Forge, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 18518.

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 18518, Old Forge, 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

8,313

Population

10.5

Area (sq mi)

794

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 18518?

47.4

Median Age

47.3%

Male

52.7%

Female

3.5%

Foreign-Born

White 82.4%
African American 0.7%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%

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?

$71,812

Median Household Income

-8% vs state

$40,219

Per Capita Income

7.4%

Poverty Rate

5.5%

Unemployment Rate

21.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 18518 ranks nationally

Old Forge, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,812 Top 50% higher than 50% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 63.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.3%

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

What does housing look like?

3,959

Total Housing Units

3,786

Occupied Units

173

Vacant Units

2.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.0%
Renter 30.0%

$174,400

Median Home Value

-23% vs state

$859

Median Rent

1960

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

-5.7%

YoY Change (2024)

188

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+88%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 18518 have decreased 5.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +88% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.7% 142
2021 +7.2% 152
2022 +24.2% 189
2023 +5.6% 199
2024 -5.7% 188

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 170 business establishments in ZIP 18518, employing approximately 1,629 people with a combined annual payroll of $64,234,000.

170

Businesses

1,629

Employees

$64.2M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 24 14.1%
Accommodation and food services 23 13.5%
Construction 21 12.3%
Health care and social assistance 20 11.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 8.2%
Other services (except public administration) 14 8.2%
Manufacturing 12 7.1%
Wholesale trade 11 6.5%
Transportation and warehousing 7 4.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 4.1%
Finance and insurance 6 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 3.5%
Information 3 1.8%

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 18518 vs 18517 →

ZIP 18518 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 18518 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 18518 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 18518 ranks #5 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 1.9 mi
18641 Pittston, PA 6,812 2.7 mi
18642 Duryea, PA 4,345 2.4 mi
18640 Pittston, PA 17,155 5.4 mi
18507 Moosic, PA 4,891 3.4 mi
18411 Clarks Summit, PA 21,985 5.5 mi
18504 Scranton, PA 21,265 4.1 mi
18505 Scranton, PA 20,586 4.6 mi
18653 Ransom, PA 132 4.5 mi
18643 Pittston, PA 12,908 5.0 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 Old Forge, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 18518 in? ▼
ZIP code 18518 (Old Forge) 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 18518? ▼
ZIP code 18518 in Old Forge, PA has a population of 8,313 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 18518? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 18518 is $71,812, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 18518? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 18518 is $174,400, which is 37% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 18518? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 18518 is White at 82.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 18518? ▼
ZIP code 18518 has 170 business establishments employing approximately 1,629 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 18518? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 18518 are: Retail trade (24), Accommodation and food services (23), Construction (21). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 18518? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 18518 decreased by 5.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 88%. 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 18518? ▼
In ZIP code 18518, 63.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.3% 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 18518? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 18518 is 21.3 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 18518? ▼
In ZIP code 18518, approximately 70.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 18518? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 18518 is 7.4% 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.