Moving to Scranton: Pros, Cons & What to Know

Moving to Scranton means moving to a city with a real, honest post-anthracite-coal-decline identity, genuine, widely-recognized pop-culture prominence, and a real, currently affordable housing market.

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A real, honest industrial history

Scranton's real peak population (143,433 in 1930) was driven by anthracite coal mining, railroading, and textiles; the 1959 Knox Mine Disaster effectively ended large-scale mining in the valley, and today's economy runs on healthcare, government, and growing manufacturing/logistics.

Confirm the real, combined local income tax before you move

Scranton's combined resident Earned Income Tax runs approximately 3.4% (City + School District) -- genuinely higher than the Act 511 1% default many Pennsylvania municipalities still observe, and a real cost worth budgeting.

A genuine, honest pop-culture identity

The US version of 'The Office' is genuinely set in Scranton -- a real, honest fact worth knowing, though this record treats it as a tourism/visibility driver rather than an economic one.

Key takeaways

Scranton's identity is genuinely rooted in an honest post-anthracite-coal-decline story, not a fabricated comeback narrative.
The combined local EIT (~3.4% for residents) runs notably higher than several other PA Tier A markets -- budget accordingly.
Scranton's real 'Office' pop-culture prominence is genuine but not an economic driver in itself.

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Read the full Scranton overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-25. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.