Population 5,608 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown
Household size in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.35 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.37 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.99 | 2.37 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.33 | +0.02 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Downtown is a place of small households, averaging 1.99 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.32, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 39.6 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 39.4 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 38.8 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.2 | 38.9 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −6.0 | −0.7 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.2, Downtown is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 38.2, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 12.9% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 14.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 15.1% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Downtown, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Downtown
Renters in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.3% | 45.3% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 88.6% | 48.0% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 51.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 89.8% | 50.0% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +4.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Downtown: 89.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 75.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northeast; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.8% | 14.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 13.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.6% | 14.8% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 14.8% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | +0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 17.0% of the housing in Downtown, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.8 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1944 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1954 | 1945 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1945 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1945 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +2 | +4 | +6 |
Downtown is a place of older homes: half were built before 1952, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Even so, homes here are newer than in Scranton overall, where the median home dates to 1945. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $603 | $637 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $765 | $737 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $833 | $818 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $988 | $1,071 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$385 | +$434 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown costs $988 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $385 a month from 2006–10, a 64% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 39.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Downtown
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.7% | 19.1% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.8% | 21.2% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 21.8% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.3% | 23.3% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +4.2 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Downtown (33.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is higher than in Scranton as a whole (23.3%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.6 points, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.6% | 82.7% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 79.1% | 85.4% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.6% | 85.3% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.2% | 86.7% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +17.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Downtown is a bit above the national rate: 91.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 17.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Downtown
| Period | Downtown | Scranton | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 6.6% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 9.5% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.5% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Downtown is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Downtown compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown | 1.99 | 32.2 | 5.8% | 89.8% | 17.0% | 1952 | $988 | 33.3% | 91.2% | 5.8% |
| The Hill Section | 2.44 | 33.8 | 10.9% | 63.4% | 12.9% | 1941 | $1,199 | 29.4% | 82.7% | 3.7% |
| Petersburg | 2.40 | 36.9 | 11.4% | 50.4% | 15.3% | 1938 | $1,240 | 29.4% | 87.7% | 4.7% |
| South Side | 2.43 | 38.2 | 17.4% | 53.4% | 15.7% | 1941 | $1,059 | 16.5% | 79.5% | 7.3% |
| West Side | 2.46 | 38.1 | 20.6% | 54.4% | 14.5% | 1939 | $1,126 | 15.7% | 83.6% | 9.4% |
| Green Ridge | 2.06 | 38.8 | 14.8% | 59.0% | 15.8% | 1942 | $1,185 | 24.1% | 91.0% | 4.1% |
| Providence | 2.50 | 41.0 | 18.5% | 44.2% | 17.7% | 1942 | $1,152 | 18.3% | 86.7% | 4.4% |
| The Plot | 2.30 | 37.8 | 13.4% | 45.4% | 18.4% | 1940 | $1,089 | 25.5% | 92.4% | 8.0% |
| Parsons | 2.63 | 34.1 | 17.8% | 38.0% | 10.6% | 1946 | $1,058 | 18.4% | 88.4% | 5.7% |
| North End | 3.04 | 29.3 | 29.1% | 47.4% | 19.6% | 1943 | $1,220 | 14.7% | 85.3% | 6.4% |
| Mayflower | 2.37 | 41.7 | 19.1% | 54.2% | 12.7% | 1957 | $955 | 17.0% | 87.2% | 14.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Woodstock, Alameda, CA · Century Village West, Boca Raton, FL · Calhoun, Minneapolis, MN · University Park-Gainsville, Gainesville, FL · West End Helena, Helena, MT · Bivins Addition, Amarillo, TX · West Somerville, Somerville, MA · Bayside, Everett, WA · Banksville, Pittsburgh, PA · Audubon Place, Tuscaloosa, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Downtown. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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