Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety73#247/924
Economy29#656/925
Housing52#443/925
Health53#436/925
Healthcare73#252/923
Environment60#365/917
Education54#425/925
Infrastructure35#606/925
Community71#265/925
Leisure & amenities63#347/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Hot days · low3 days
90/100Pennsylvania 7 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · high88.8%
89/100Pennsylvania 86.3%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Flu vaccinations · high51.3%
89/100Pennsylvania 52.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · high2.2 /10k
85/100Pennsylvania 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Traffic deaths · low9.9 /100k
81/100Pennsylvania 9.0 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationAggregated from counties
Primary care physicians · high83 /100k
79/100Pennsylvania 80 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Child care cost burden · high40.6%
6/100Pennsylvania 34.6%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Effective property tax rate · high1.36%
13/100Pennsylvania 1.25%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Unemployment rate · high5.0%
18/100Pennsylvania 4.3%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
Distance to an emergency room · high9.5 mi
19/100Pennsylvania 5.0 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · high18.1%
20/100Pennsylvania 15.6%United States 16.1%2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Comfortable days · low23.7%
20/100Pennsylvania 23.8%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 21% (Nov 2025–Oct 2026)
+21 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
74.0% (2010 & 2021) → 88.8% (2022 & 2024)
+15 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
Distance to an airportWorsening
51 mi (2020) → 87 mi (2025)
+71%5 yearsUS 33 mi → 33 mi
Drug overdose deathsImproving
54.3 /100k (2021) → 17.7 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−67%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
New business applicationsImproving
7.1 /1k (2020) → 11.5 /1k (2025)
+62%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Child care cost burdenWorsening
28.6% (2020 & 2021) → 40.6% (2023 & 2024)
+12 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area improved on 10 of 32 measures with a comparison and declined on 10. 4 moved within the margin of error and 8 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved10

Unemployment−5 points10.0% → 5.0%
Violent crime−43%347 /100k → 199 /100k
Overdose deaths−61%45.7 /100k → 17.7 /100k
New businesses+62%7.1 /1k → 11.5 /1k
Broadband+9.1 points78.6% → 87.7%

Declined10

Libraries−17%0.5 /10k → 0.4 /10k
Airport+36 mi51 mi → 87 mi
Uninsured+1.4 points5.8% → 7.2%
Inequality+0.0120.453 → 0.465
Grocery stores−9.6%2.1 /10k → 1.9 /10k

All 32 measures

Change of every measure of Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.2 /10k2020	3.1 /10k2025	−0.8%	Little change	27%
Average commute time	22.6 min2015-2019	22.7 min2020-2024	+0.1 min	Within the margin of error	61%
Average weekly wage	$9282020	$1,1022025	+19%	Improved	14%
Bachelor's degree or higher	24.8%2015-2019	27.2%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Improved	41%
Broadband subscriptions	78.6%2015-2019	87.7%2020-2024	+9.1 points	Improved	52%
Child poverty rate	23.3%2015-2019	22.4%2020-2024	−0.9 points	Within the margin of error	31%
Distance to an airport	51 mi2020	87 mi2025	+36 mi	Declined	1%
Drug overdose deaths	45.7 /100k2020	17.7 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−61%	Improved	91%
Effective property tax rate	1.62%2015-2019	1.36%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Little change	84%
Firearm deaths	11.4 /100k2020	11.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+1.4%	Little change	46%
Grocery stores	2.1 /10k2020	1.9 /10k2025	−9.6%	Declined	25%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.9 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	−5.1%	Declined	29%
High school diploma or higher	90.4%2015-2019	90.9%2020-2024	+0.5 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Home price to income ratio	2.6×2015-2019	2.9×2020-2024	+0.3×	Declined	73%
Homicide rate	2.8 /100k2020	2.7 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−2.7%	Little change	24%
Income adjusted for local prices	$48,8852019	$60,5692024	+24%	Improved	6%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4532015-2019	0.4652020-2024	+0.012	Declined	25%
Median household income	$53,4912015-2019	$65,1582020-2024	+22%	Improved	21%
New business applications	7.1 /1k2020	11.5 /1k2025	+62%	Improved	71%
Pharmacies	2.6 /10k2020	2.2 /10k2025	−14%	Declined	34%
Poverty rate	14.5%2015-2019	14.8%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	21%
Property crime rate	1,118 /100k2020	989 /100k2025	−12%	Improved	13%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	−17%	Declined	5%
Public transit commuters	1.0%2015-2019	0.6%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Little change	45%
Rent as share of income	27.5%2015-2019	28.7%2020-2024	+1.2 points	Declined	32%
Rent-burdened households	44.2%2015-2019	46.9%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Declined	34%
Restaurants and bars	10.5 /10k2020	10.5 /10k2025	+0.3%	Little change	47%
Suicide rate	15.7 /100k2020	16.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+3.4%	Little change	54%
Traffic deaths	9.6 /100k2015-2019	9.9 /100k2020-2024	+3.1%	Little change	57%
Unemployment rate	10.0%2020	5.0%2025	−5 points	Improved	92%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	5.8%2015-2019	7.2%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Declined	15%
Violent crime rate	347 /100k2020	199 /100k2025	−43%	Improved	90%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area itself moved −4.3 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

569,788 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

234,230 households (±1,270)

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area
United States share

Under $25k19%43,716
$25k–50k20%47,349
$50k–75k17%40,361

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

234,230 households (±1,270)

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area
United States share

Own67%157,811
Rent33%76,419

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

261,012 workers (±2,616)

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area
United States share

Drive alone75%196,668
Carpool9.6%25,082
Public transit0.6%1,593

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA employ 69,280 people. 2 pay a median above the US median and 8 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Stockers and Order Fillers10,250 jobs	10,250	$37,410US $37,330	0%	2.2×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides9,970 jobs	9,970

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA has 13,043 employer establishments, 228 for every 10,000 residents (0.92× the US rate of 248), with 238,473 paid employees at an average annual pay of $51,485. The Census Bureau also counts 39,456 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 13,043; 39,456 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 228; US 248
Paid employees: 238,473
Average annual pay: $51,485; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,275	22.3	1.07×About typical	20,186	$73,866	1,759
Restaurants and other eating places	1,073	18.8	1.02×About typical	15,378	$18,885	382
Specialty trade contractors	724	12.7	0.82×About typical	5,126	$69,749	2,416
Full-service restaurants	528	9.2	1.20×About typical	7,940	$19,384	190
Offices of physicians	490	8.6	1.33×More than typical	7,449	$111,174	305
Limited-service restaurants	417	7.3	0.91×About typical	5,851	$18,856	149
Services to buildings and dwellings	352	6.2	0.91×About typical	2,229	$40,848	2,133
Religious organizations	338	5.9	1.07×About typical	1,701	$20,347	—
Lessors of real estate	333	5.8	0.47×Fewer than typical	1,065	$49,162	4,243
Offices of other health practitioners	327	5.7	0.94×About typical	1,983	$49,616	930
Automotive repair and maintenance	324	5.7	1.13×About typical	1,402	$54,326	730
Personal care services	309	5.4	1.13×About typical	1,368	$25,382	1,676

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 570,853 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $737.3M on contracts performed in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area: $1,283 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $737.3M; −23% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,283; US $2,007
Sole-source: 56%; US 30%
Single offer: 2.7%; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$567.1M77%
Department of Veterans Affairs$60.6M8.2%
Department of the Navy$33M4.5%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management$31.4M4.3%
Defense Logistics Agency$29.1M3.9%
Department of the Air Force$10.5M1.4%
Public Buildings Service$1.5M0.2%
National Park Service$1M0.1%

Top recipients

GENERAL DYNAMICS OTS (WILKES BARRE), LLC$536.9M73%
GENTEX CORPORATION$41.3M5.6%
ADAMS AND ASSOCIATES INC$31.4M4.3%
NAMMO POCAL INC$25.9M3.5%
FDCD II JOINT VENTURE, LLC$25.6M3.5%

Spending by fiscal year

569.3MFY2017
557.5MFY2018
515.5MFY2019
490.6MFY2020
567.8MFY2021
492.9MFY2022
1.2BFY2023
918.8M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$438.3M59%
Facilities support services · 5612$149.1M20%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$33.9M4.6%
Technical and trade schools · 6115$31.4M4.3%
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing · 3364$11.8M1.6%
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391$10.4M1.4%

Largest awards

MANUFACTURE, ASSEMBLY, INSPECTION, PACKAGE, AND DELIVERY OF THE 155MM ARTILLERY M795 PROJECTILE BODY ASSEMBLY IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE.$612.9M
GENERAL DYNAMICS OTS (WILKES BARRE), LLC· Luzerne County, PA· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Sep 27, 2024 – Jun 2, 2026· W15QKN24F0527
155MM CAPACITY EXPANSION PROJECT FOR M795 AND M1128 TO 65K/MONTH$345.8M
GENERAL DYNAMICS OTS (WILKES BARRE), LLC· Luzerne County, PA· Facilities & utilities· Mar 24, 2023 – May 27, 2026· W519TC23F0171
MANUFACTURE AND DELIVER 155MM M795 METAL PART ASSEMBLIES$328M
GENERAL DYNAMICS OTS (WILKES BARRE), LLC· Luzerne County, PA· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· May 11, 2026 – May 11, 2026· W15QKN26F0176

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $3.8B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area: $6,609 per resident (US $12,975).

Assistance · FY2026: $3.8B; −3.4% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,609; US $12,975
Loan face value: $112.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.0%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$2.3B61%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$398.7M11%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$253M6.7%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$231.8M6.1%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$147.7M3.9%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$59.4M1.6%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$51.7M1.4%
20.263 · Bridge Formula Program$47.7M1.3%

Top recipients (organizations)

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$155.9M4.1%
HARRISBURG, PA
SCRANTON HOUSING AUTHORITY$18.3M0.5%
SCRANTON, PA
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF LUZERNE$16.7M0.4%
KINGSTON, PA
THE WRIGHT CENTER FOR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION$15.4M0.4%
SCRANTON, PA
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY & VETERANS AFFAIRS

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$3.1B81%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$294.5M7.8%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$155.9M4.1%
Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$69.3M1.8%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Education

Assistance by fiscal year

3.6BFY2021
3.4BFY2022
3.6BFY2023
3.8BFY2024
3.9BFY2025
3.8BFY2026
0FY2027

County aggregates

90%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 8, 2026, loaded Oct 8, 2026 · FY2021–FY2027.

Counties in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Pennsylvania

Areas based in Pennsylvania, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-10-06
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M42540

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved10

Declined10

Metro and micro areas like Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Pennsylvania

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved10

Declined10

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought