Pros and Cons of Living in Scranton

Scranton's honest tradeoff is genuinely affordable housing and a currently below-average crime rate, set against a notably elevated combined local income tax and a modestly declining population.

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Real advantages

Scranton offers genuinely affordable housing, a real, currently below-average crime rate on the primary 2024 FBI comparison, deep healthcare access via Geisinger's only Level II trauma center in the county, the University of Scranton's real presence, and a genuine, honest pop-culture identity.

Real tradeoffs

Scranton's combined ~3.4% resident EIT runs notably higher than several other Pennsylvania Tier A markets in this project; its own effective property tax rate runs above the national median amid a real, current county reassessment; the population has declined modestly since 2020; and 2024 homicides rose from 3 to 7, a real, disclosed single-year uptick.

The net read

For affordability-focused buyers or those prioritizing Geisinger's real healthcare access, Scranton's advantages are real and well-documented. For buyers prioritizing the lowest possible local income tax, this project's companion bethlehem.js may fit better.

Key takeaways

Real pros: genuinely affordable housing, a currently below-average crime rate, and deep Geisinger healthcare access.
Real cons: a notably elevated combined local EIT (~3.4%), an above-national property tax rate, and a modest population decline.
The net read favors affordability- and healthcare-access-focused buyers specifically.

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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.