Lackawanna County, PA

Cost & lifestyle range

The cost of living in Lackawanna County varies dramatically by location. At the low end, Carbondale and parts of Scranton’s South Side have median home values around $120,000–$140,000, with rents under $800 for a two-bedroom apartment. These areas offer the most affordable entry points but often come with older infrastructure and higher crime rates in certain blocks. At the high end, Clarks Summit, Waverly, and South Abington Township see median home values of $280,000–$350,000, with newer subdivisions and larger lots. The average commute across the county is just over 21 minutes, but residents in rural Greenfield Township or Madison Township may drive 30–35 minutes to reach Scranton for work or shopping. Amenities follow the same gradient: Scranton and Dunmore have hospitals, universities, and national retailers, while smaller towns rely on local diners, hardware stores, and volunteer fire departments. Property tax rates are highest in Scranton (around 2.5% of assessed value) and lowest in rural townships (often under 1.5%), which can swing monthly housing costs by $200–$400.

Lackawanna County best suits people who value choice and are willing to trade off between urban convenience, suburban schools, or rural quiet. Young renters and first-time buyers find the most opportunity in Scranton and Carbondale, while families with children often gravitate to the Abington Heights or North Pocono school districts. Retirees and remote workers seeking land and lower taxes tend to settle in the northern and western townships. The county’s diversity of settings — all within a 30-minute drive — makes it a rare place where a single region can accommodate a wide range of budgets and lifestyles without requiring a long commute.

What residents experience

Daily life in Lackawanna County is generally safe, but the experience is not uniform. In Scranton, the county seat and largest city, residents contend with higher rates of drug-related crime, including opioid trafficking and associated thefts. The city’s police department has struggled with staffing shortages, and the progressive policies of the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s office—which has emphasized diversion programs and reduced incarceration for non-violent offenders—have drawn criticism from residents who feel that repeat property criminals are cycled back onto the streets too quickly. This approach, while intended to reduce jail overcrowding, has led to frustration in neighborhoods like Scranton’s Hill Section and Green Ridge, where property crime is a recurring nuisance. In contrast, suburbs such as Clarks Summit and Dunmore report significantly lower crime rates, with residents describing a small-town feel where neighbors watch out for one another. The borough of Old Forge, known for its tight-knit community, also maintains a lower crime profile, though it is not immune to the regional property crime trend.

The county’s judicial and prosecutorial environment is a key factor for anyone considering relocation. The current District Attorney, Mark Powell, has been in office since 2012 and has maintained a moderate-to-progressive stance on certain offenses, particularly those tied to addiction. Critics argue that this leniency has emboldened property criminals, especially in Scranton and the more densely populated boroughs like Taylor and Moosic. For families and retirees, the safest bets are the smaller townships: South Abington Township and Newton Township consistently report the lowest crime rates in the county, with violent crime nearly non-existent and property crime well below the county average.

Neighborhood-level variation is stark. In Scranton, the western wards near the University of Scranton see more petty crime and theft, while the northern reaches of the city near the Lackawanna River are quieter. Outside the city, the county’s rural areas—such as Dalton and Fleetville—offer a level of safety comparable to the safest small towns in Pennsylvania. Prospective residents should weigh the trade-offs: urban convenience and walkability in Scranton come with a higher risk of property crime, while the suburbs and townships provide a quieter, safer environment at the cost of longer commutes and fewer amenities.