Population 216,146 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lackawanna County
Household size in Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Lackawanna County are small: just 2.40 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Pennsylvania as a whole looks much the same.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.6 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Lackawanna County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.6, against 40.1 nationally. The picture is much the same across Pennsylvania. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southeast.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Lackawanna County (12.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Pennsylvania overall (10.7%). The single-parent share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Lackawanna County
Renters in Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.5% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.7% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.6% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Lackawanna County rent their homes (34.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Pennsylvania overall (30.7%). About half of owners (49.8%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Only four of Pennsylvania's 67 counties have a higher share of renters.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.0% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Lackawanna County: 11.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1957 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Lackawanna County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1957, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center. Few Pennsylvania counties have older homes: only three of 67.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $665 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $742 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $856 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,067 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$403 | +$494 | +$606 |
The median renter in Lackawanna County pays $1,067 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $403 a month from 2006–10, a 61% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 29.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the northeast.
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 Lackawanna County
Bachelor's degrees in Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.0% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.8% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.2% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Lackawanna County than nationally: 30.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Compared with other Pennsylvania counties, though, Lackawanna County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.4% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.5% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.7% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Lackawanna County have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Pennsylvania. The share with a diploma is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Lackawanna County
| Period | Lackawanna County | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.0%, unemployment in Lackawanna County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 1.4 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Lackawanna County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lackawanna County | 2.40 | 42.6 | 12.5% | 34.6% | 11.9% | 1957 | $1,067 | 30.8% | 91.6% | 5.0% |
| Wyoming County | 2.34 | 45.4 | 8.7% | 22.1% | 15.0% | 1970 | $956 | 22.3% | 92.5% | 4.9% |
| Wayne County | 2.35 | 49.3 | 9.3% | 19.5% | 28.3% | 1977 | $1,056 | 24.3% | 92.4% | 5.8% |
| Pike County | 2.54 | 48.4 | 8.7% | 13.0% | 31.0% | 1984 | $1,426 | 30.0% | 92.9% | 7.6% |
| Sullivan County | 2.19 | 56.0 | 5.5% | 15.1% | 51.6% | 1972 | $846 | 22.1% | 92.6% | 6.0% |
| Orange County | 3.09 | 37.6 | 10.4% | 32.2% | 8.9% | 1976 | $1,781 | 30.9% | 88.8% | 5.3% |
| Putnam County | 2.72 | 44.4 | 7.9% | 16.2% | 8.6% | 1968 | $1,962 | 45.3% | 92.8% | 4.5% |
| Cameron County | 1.99 | 52.7 | 11.8% | 27.6% | 29.3% | 1958 | $766 | 12.8% | 92.2% | 7.9% |
| New Haven County | 2.53 | 41.7 | 13.5% | 37.6% | 8.0% | 1964 | $1,584 | 38.5% | 90.6% | 6.4% |
| Elk County | 2.29 | 48.0 | 9.5% | 20.5% | 15.5% | 1963 | $733 | 21.2% | 94.2% | 5.5% |
| Middlesex County | 2.35 | 45.3 | 8.8% | 25.0% | 9.5% | 1970 | $1,540 | 44.7% | 95.2% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Alachua County, FL · Yuma County, AZ · York County, ME · Yolo County, CA · Yavapai County, AZ · Yakima County, WA · Winnebago County, IL · Williamson County, TN · Whatcom County, WA · Berkeley County, SC
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 Lackawanna County. 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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